From Ragged to Golden
by KrystalRose92
Summary: When orphaned Clarissa Fray is taken in by successful CEO Jace Wayland she discovers a life she never thought she could lead and what she also discovers is her past and possible future. AH AU Rated M for Adult Themes and some language.
1. Street Saviour

**Authors Note:**

_Hey all, this is my first FF, I hope you all enjoy it! I want to thank CloudedMindx for all of her help with figuring this out and getting me on to this site! Love you!_

_Now it is time for _**from Ragged to Golden **_Hope you enjoy it._

_A review only takes a few seconds to minutes, but the joy I will get from that, will last for hours!_

**Disclaimer: **I am Not Cassandra Clare, if I was, Jace would be in my bed, right now, because he would be real, because I would have made him real, because I am a psycho and Cassie Clare is not…I think…

* * *

It was a cold night, one of many that she would have to endure, though she should be used to it, one could never be used to the frozen ground beneath your back, the way the rain felt as you slept, when you wore clothes that others considered warm, but were anything but. She had been used to the feeling, the grumble in her stomach from hunger, the ache in her throat from thirst and the feeling of never being able to stay warm, no matter how hard she tried. She had survived so far, survived since childhood, in the cold rooms of the orphanage and into adulthood in the streets, she had survived and she would keep surviving.

Clarissa had never had a home cooked meal before, never had a doting mother or a father whom would read her stories and keep her close. No, Clarissa had anything but a normal life.

A gust of wind caused a shiver to roll down her spine. She pulled her sweater on tighter even though it was three sizes too big for her petite frame, though it did little to turn the cold away. On nights like these, all Clarissa could think, was how her life _should_ have been like and not how it turned out.

Her mother, with red hair and green eyes like herself, her father, with dark hair, dark eyes and a warm smile, possible siblings, a grand house, with a couple of dogs. All the things she had wanted in life, and all of the things other children got when they were adopted from the orphanage, and yet, no one had ever picked her. All she could smell was the damp mould from the ceiling of her room, the odour of faeces from the toilets that never seemed to have been cleaned.

Clarissa tried to ward off the memories of that terrible place but no matter what she tried they just kept coming, invading her thoughts and her dreams.

_She was walking along the green halls of the orphanage, her feet cold and bare, her hands trembling and numb, the cold biting at her skin. _

"_Clarissa Fray, you're next!" Mrs Vonness called; she really was a vile woman. _

_Samantha, a girl that Clarissa had become close to passed by her, having just finished what a Mrs Vonness was about to do to her. _

"_Be strong Clary," She said, squeezing her hand._

_Clarissa had always like the nickname Samantha had given her, Clary, it was unique in its own simplicity._

_She walked into the once white bathroom; it was now green with time, mould and uncleanliness. She looked up to the opposing figure, who smiled darkly at her, with two teeth showing, the rest missing._

"_Now, strip." Clary had qualms about taking off her clothes, especially in front of this woman; she was only eleven years old. _

_Nonetheless she did as she was told and then a bucket of below freezing water was thrown on her, causing her to convulse furiously. Mrs Vonness slapped her across the face, too hard, and Clary recoiled, remembering not to shake._

_As she was scrubbed down, though the cold water did little work of the dirt on her body, in her fingernails, the clumps in her red hair, but it was the only thinking time she really got in this place. _

_The only thing she had to think about was whether or not she would be adopted that day. The only reason Mrs. Vonness would clean the girls was when there were potential parents visiting. _

_**Please god, if you're there let this be my day, please, get me out of here**_

_Clary had to keep herself from crying every time she thought that she would be adopted, but it never seemed to happen, and she never knew why. The parents she had met seemed thrilled to meet her and seemed to really like her, but something always happened to make them not want her anymore._

"_Don't get your hopes up Clarissa, you are going to be stuck here until you're sixteen, and then, you will be out of this place, and left on the streets." She grinned a toothless grin at her and Clary balled her hands to fists, resisting the urge to slap that smile from her face._

_It was true, the older an orphan, the less likely adoption becomes. It was a terrible rule, but one that was very true._

Clary was brought out of her dream by an earthquake.

Well, in her sleepy state it seemed like an earthquake, it was really a man, shaking her awake.

She blinked into alertness and looked at the man.

He was beautiful.

His golden locks fell across his face and were in great contrast with his molten amber eyes and golden skin. The planes of his face seemed to have been chiselled from marble. He was an angel, and that was when Clary understood.

This was it, she had finally died, the streets had killed her. Though Clary didn't understand why an angel had been sent, she should be going to hell that was where all bad kids went, so she had been told.

_Mrs. Vonness had found her praying to god for a family. _

"_Stupid, insolent little girl, you really think that __**god**__ will help you?" She laughed a cruel and menacing sound. "God doesn't love you, he only loves those that are not simple, those who have love, those who have a family. He doesn't know you exist."_

Clary couldn't believe she had listened to that vile woman. Now there was an angel before her, readying her for her journey to the kingdom of clouds.

"I'm ready." She said, before the light became too much and she passed out.

The last thing she was aware of was the feel of feathers against her fingertips.

* * *

Jace Wayland walked along the streets of Manhattan, eyeing the girls that were eying him. He had just left his office and was now heading home. Normally, he would have called a driver, but he felt like walking for a little while before returning to his home.

He inhaled to smell of New York City, he had lived here is whole life, he had travelled the world, but nowhere smelt as delicious as the big apple.

Jace had just finished his walk and was about to call his driver to come get him when he heard it. The sounds of a struggle and Jace, thinking someone was in trouble, ran to the sounds and when he came to an alley he couldn't see any figures but could still hear the sounds. He walked into the alley, deeper.

_I shouldn't be here, I could get mugged._

The sounds were right near him now, but he still could not decipher where they were coming from. He went to turn out of the alley and back to the street when he saw a mess of red curls. Curious, Jace crouched down and discovered the sounds were that of a homeless woman, a beautiful woman. He shook her, trying to get her to wake up.

Her eyes opened, revealing a tremendous emerald green colour. The woman looked at him curiously, as if he was a saviour, and then she spoke, her voice soft.

"I'm ready," She said, before her eyes shut again, her fingers running through his hair.

Jace thought that she was dead, until he saw that her chest was still moving. He was about to put her back down and be on his way, but he couldn't do it, this woman had nowhere to go, and he had no clue whether it was by choice or not.

"I'll get you out of here." He placed her on the ground and pulled out his cell phone, calling his driver and then his home.

"Call Isabelle and tell her to run a hot bath and then prepare some clothes, and you, prepare the guest room." He hung up as his driver approached.

"Aldertree, over here,"

The aging man approached, seeing Jace knelt beside the woman.

"Sir, what is going on?"

"Never you mind, just open the back door. Now!" Aldertree ran back to the car, and Jace picked the woman up, brushing her hair back from her pale face.

Jace lay her down; placing her head on his lap and Aldertree hit the gas, weaving carefully through the New York traffic and back to Wayland Manor.

The car, a Mercedes Benz CLS-Class, had a cream leather interior and Jace could already see some of the dirt rub off the girl and onto the seats, but he didn't dwell on that, the only thing he could think of was why such a gorgeous woman was without a home.

Was she a drug user? Did her family die in some freak accident? Was she an angst ridden teen afraid to confront her inner demons?

It seemed to Jace that she had been homeless for a while. Her cheek bones stood out on her face, as if she hadn't had a real meal in years or ever. He kept stroking her hair, and listening to her mumbles.

"Angel, my angel, gold angel, saviour, please, find me…"

Jace had no clue what that meant, all her knew was he had to take care of her, though why, he had no clue.

His phone buzzed and he picked up, hearing Izzy on the other line.

"What do you want?" She yelled.

"Isabelle, listen, I have a girl with me—"

"Shocker,"

"No, this is different. I found her in an alley, she needs taking care of. I can explain it more when I'm there, but run a hot bath for her."

"Jace—"

"Isabelle _please,_" He must have sounded desperate because she fell silent.

"Where are you?" She asked, a lot calmer now.

"We'll be there in ten minutes."

"See you then." She hung up the phone and Jace went back to stroking her hair. Her eyes fluttered open and Jace looked straight into them.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"You are safe." Was all he said; "What's your name?"

"Clarissa," she answered before passing out again.

"Clarissa, pretty name," he exhaled and then barked at the driver. "Aldertree how much longer?"

"About two minuted sir,"

"Good."

He stroked her hair, wondering what it was about this woman that had peeked his interest.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

_And there is chapter one, review it, love it!_

_Let me know what you think (it does get better, they are __**not**__ going to fall in love anytime soon and arrogant Jace shows up)_

_Thanks for reading!_


	2. Wayland Manor

**Authors Note:**

_Hey guys, thanks for the love! I am so beyond glad you are all so excited for this (so am I) I have it all planned out and basically, there will be three emotions in this story; Sadness, anger and Irritation, and that is just from you guys alone, imagine what the characters go through!_

_Sadness because of some events in the story that may, or may not, bring tears to your eyes._

_Anger because of what I put the characters through_

_Irritation because of cliff hangers and unanswered questions (they will get answered—eventually)_

_Alright so here we go with Chapter two!_

_Review!_

* * *

Clary awoke to a blinding light, it scorched her eyes, she hastily shut them again but still felt the burn against her closed lids. Rolling over, she re opened her eyes, adjusting to the light slowly and as she took in her surroundings, she gasped.

_This is definitely not hell, it's too well decorated._

She played with her hair and was stunned at the texture. Soft and fluffy and it smelt of…strawberries?

Clary shook her head, not understanding what was going on and then a door opened and an elegantly beautiful woman walked in.

The woman was holding a tray that she placed upon another tray that sat on the bed, stopping just in front of Clary. The woman handed her and fork, knife and spoon and then left the room. Before Clary could even think to ask her who she is or where she was, the smell hit her. The delectable smell of…food! Real, sweet, delicious food!

Clary lifted the lid and drooled at the sight in front of her. Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, buttered toast, a stack of pancakes drizzled in maple syrup, fresh orange juice and chicken soup. Before conscious thought reached her, Clary wolfed down the meal, honestly, it was gone in five seconds flat. She hadn't had a meal like this or felt this full in…ever.

She still had questions, but she realised she would have to leave this room and seek out the answers. Moving the tray, Clary got up, feeling the soft cotton material of the night gown she had on. She reached for a coat that was hanging up and left the room.

She walked down a hallway; the place seemed to have a gothic design but a white and gold colour scheme. It was the most beautiful thing Clary had ever seen, until she walked past a see through wall. She stopped and stared at the woman before her. Red, curly hair framing a pale and delicate face with huge green eyes that widened at the sight of her. Clary felt disgusting; she probably looked like a crazy bag lady. To make herself more presentable Clary brushed some hair back from her face and gasped, waving her arms frantically. The woman was her, the wall, a mirror. Clary had almost forgotten mirrors.

Not dwelling on that, Clary ran at a near sprint until she reached a gold railing that was connected to a white marbled staircase. Clary descended down them, looking around for some sign but all she could do was let her nose lead her, to the kitchen of course. Before she walked through the doors, she heard voices rise up.

"So what, you found her and became compassionate overnight?" This was a shocked voice, a feminine shocked voice.

"I don't know Isabelle, all I know is that—" A masculine voice spoke. "Look, was it such a bad thing to bring her here?"

"I never said that," The girl—Isabelle said through gritted teeth. "I just meant what if she is a drug dealer?"

"I already thought of that, she had nothing on her, and besides, if she were a drug dealer she would at least have an apartment, I think the word you were looking for was _user_, honestly, I knew I should have gotten you that dictionary."

"Whatever, stop being a cocky dickhead and think, this is serious, she could be extremely unstable!"

Clary had enough of this and made her presence known. The two occupants of the kitchen looked up in shock at her entry, all Clary could manage was a small wave.

"Oh look, you're up; I thought you would sleep forever." The girl said with an indignant wave back.

"I could have, that bed was so comfy, I haven't slept that well in…well…ever actually." The girls' eyes turned sympathetic. Clary thought that she was one of the most beautiful women on earth, like a model. She had long ink black hair that reached her waist, dark eyes that penetrated and slender build, she was dressed in a floral dress simple white sandal heels and wore a golden bracelet.

The boy in the kitchen was golden…literally! He had gold blonde hair, tawny eyes that in the light, seemed to be made of molten gold too, a slight tan and great build, he wore a business suit; Blue and white.

"Sorry I—" Clary interrupted the girl's—Isabelle's—muttering.

"If you want to know something about me, come to me." She said, narrowing her eyes slightly. Life on the street had made her tough. "I am not a drug dealer or user and I most certainly am not unstable. Clear?"

"Crystal," The boy said. "Do you like the nightgown I dressed you in, I had to try on a few and also pick you up some clean underwear before stripping you of course."

"I…Wait, you saw me naked?" Suddenly Clary felt overexposed and felt blood rush to her cheeks.

"Ignore my idiot brother, _I_ dressed you, and trust me, you have nothing that I have never seen before." She sighed and then held out her hand. "I'm Isabelle Lightwood." Clary stared at that hand. Was she supposed to shake it? She held her hand out anyway and shook Isabelle's. "And who might you be?"

"I'm, uh," She cleared her throat. "Clarissa Fray, but everyone calls me Clary."

"Well Clarissa, I am Jace, Jace Wayland." He held out his hand and Clary shook it too. "I am also _very_ late, so Isabelle will look after you." With a nod he left the room, leaving the two girls alone.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said okay? It's just; well, what would you think if you were in my position?"

"I wouldn't know I can't assume stuff about people as I have never invited one into my home." At this Isabelle brightened.

"Oh, you have a home, where?"

"On the corner of West 107th street and Columbous Avenue," Isabelle's face fell. "It has a lovely view of Central Park."

"I said I was sorry, what more do you want?"

"I want to know what is going on, why am I here."

"I don't know, Jace won't say anything." Isabelle gave a resigning sigh. "Look, the sooner we get you out of here, the better."

Clary felt offended by that, there was nothing wrong with her, why did this girl hate her so much?

"Thanks, but really, don't worry about me, I'll just go back to the street, _my_ home." Clary whirled out of the room and started to head up the stairs when she lost her bearings, not because she was lost—though that had something to do with it. She stopped because she finally was able to take in her surroundings.

Priceless artefacts, gold and silver frames, crystal vases, priceless items and ones that clearly cost a fortune were spread all throughout the house.

Clary bolted up the stairs, back to the room she had come from. She shut the door with a bang behind her and finally took in the scents of this room, the food that was brought to her this morning, enough for five people unless you had enough money.

The robe she wore was silk and decorated with flowers, she took it off, the tag reading 'Made in Japan'.

Some clothes had been lain out for her, and some underwear, she picked them all up and all of them in the wardrobe and drawers. They were all labelled. She threw them to the floor.

Gucci, Victoria's secret, Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana, Prada. All of these names, so familiar, yet Clary had never seen any of their things up close, never touched them, they seemed far too expensive, why fork out hundreds of dollars instead of mere dollars and cents?

Clary sat on the floor, fingering the material when the door opened and Isabelle walked in.

"It is kind of daunting, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Clary didn't look at the black haired girl, but kept her eyes forward.

"This…life, I never expected to live it, neither did you." She kneeled beside Clary, grabbing the garment she still held. "Gucci, spring collection 2009," she said of the dress she was holding. Thin material coloured with blue, white and black.

"I don't live this life though, I never will." Clary said, picking up a discarded black stiletto.

"No you don't live it, and you may never live a life like this, but, you will never live the way you did either." She said with complete clarity.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you won't be going back to the street, Clary, no matter what. Jace wouldn't bring you in and then take you back, that isn't him, sure he is an arrogant dick, but he can have his shining moments, as do we all. Trust me when I tell you, you will never sleep on the sidewalk, for the rest of your days."

Tears made Clary's sight blurry. She cleared them away, feeling them fall down her cheeks and onto the clothes in front of her.

"Now, why don't we, fold these clothes up and then go get some ice cream, my treat." Clary smiled at the other girl.

"Thanks, I'm sorry about the mess, I was just, overwhelmed."

"It gets like that sometimes."

And for the first time, Clary felt hope in her chest as she gathered the clothes with Isabelle.

When Jace returned home later, he found Clary sitting in one of the white armchairs in the TV room, flicking through channels. She looked up at his approach, her green eyes bright.

"Hey there," He said, coming into the room and taking a seat on the couch.

"Hi," Clary whispered.

She sat there, with her knee up and playing with her toes. Jace realised why, someone—Isabelle—had painted her toenails.

"Can I ask you something?" Clary spoke up, staring at Jace.

"Let me guess, you want to know why I brought you here, right?" She nodded. "Honestly? I don't know, I just saw you there and I _had_ to do something, at first I thought you were dead then I got a closer look and I saw how young you were and I thought that no one deserved that, so I took you in, and had Isabelle clean out her closet and fill yours." He paused, a small sly grin appearing on her face. "She seems to have lost some hostility towards you."

Clary shrugged. "We exchanged words." Actually they had done more than that, Isabelle and Clary had spent the entire afternoon together, talking about her life on the street and Isabelle's rise to the top. Clary still had no clue on how she made it to the top, or in what industry, but she figured she would understand in due time.

"So she hadn't told you about her fashion empire, I presume?"

_Bingo._

"Well, she did talk about some kind of rise to the top, but she didn't elaborate." Jace's eyes bugged and all Clary could think was;

_Oh yes pretty boy, I know big words!_

"Yes, well, I'm sure she will tell you about it soon enough, but for now, its dinner time and I'm starving, how about you?"

"I could use some food." Clary had eaten nonstop today and it was as if she would never get full.

She really had high hopes, if what Isabelle said was true, she would never go hungry again.

* * *

**Author's note:**

_And there is Chapter two._

_Now I have a new FF in the works, anyone here read blue bloods? _

_Review!_


	3. Opportunities

**Author's Note:**

_*Waves innocently so you all won't kill me*_

* * *

Clary laid in bed, think about what tomorrow would bring, Jace had just given her a once in a lifetime chance, and she was not about to turn her nose up at that.

She was so happy, ecstatically so, she wished she had someone to tell, a friend or a relative, but there was no one but herself. She was alone, just like she was used to.

Clary began mulling over Jace's offer in her head, thinking if she should accept it or not.

***_Flashback***_

_Jace and Clary sat alone at the table, finished with their meal, Clary looked all around the room, everywhere except where Jace was, she could feel the heat of his stare on her face, the intensity of it brought her up short. Isabelle had told Clary about Jace and what he gets up too. Serial dater, commitment phobia, man whore._

"_Clarissa—" He began to say._

"_Clary," she corrected him, already knowing what was coming but just wanting to relish in the house a little longer. He was going to tell her to get out, that she had worn out her welcome and to get her stuff and go. Luckily for her she had no stuff so the embarrassment would not last long. She had been so hoping that what Isabelle had told her was true, that she would never go back to the streets, never have to go hungry again and never be afraid to not wake up or to wake up and find that someone had assaulted you in the night. She had let go of that and believed her but now she felt it all crashing back down like a piano, she could already feel her face going read with embarrassment and her eyes become glassy with tears._

_**Stupid, **__she thought__**, that he would want someone like me, as vile as me in his beautiful palace home.**_

"_Clary," he amended. "I wanted to talk with you about your stay here."_

"_Don't bother, I get the picture," she stood from her seat and began to walk out. "Just tell me where the clothes are that you brought me in and I'll be on my way." She stared at him, pushing a stray piece of hair from her face._

"_What are you talking about? Do you think I'm going to..." he trailed off laughing to himself. Clary was furious, she was no joke, he had no right to laugh at her just because he lived like a king and she was a peasant. She may not be rich or privileged or even middle class, but she was someone who did not take kindly to being laughed at. _

_She was about to voice her outrage when Jace gained his composure and looked at her dead in the eye._

"_I'm not kicking you out Clary, why on earth would you think that I would?" He shook his head, his expression serious again as he came toward her and motioned for her to join him in the sitting room._

_Once they sat Clary found her voice._

"_I just thought, well, I don't know, that you didn't want me here and you had come to your senses." She shrugged._

"_Clary, seeing what you went through, I could never make you go back to that. Ever, so you have no reason to worry, this is your home now." He smiled at her and she couldn't help but notice how handsome he was._

_Jace was the picture perfect golden boy. Blonde shaggy hair, amber eyes that sometimes did look like molten gold, he had a slight tan and his build was lean but she know that he had muscles, she didn't know how she knew, somehow she just did. He had a chip on one of his incisors but that just made her think that even the most beautiful of things have their flaws. Jace was no exception; she wondered what Isabelle's flaw was._

"_I was just going to ask if __**you**__ wanted to stay here, at least until you start getting money and find your own place." _

_Clary looked at him like he was insane._

"_Why wouldn't I want to stay here?" She questioned looking for the answer in the depth of his eyes._

"_Well, I thought perhaps you would feel uncomfortable, considering it is just me and you here. You might think I would take advantage of you, or you might fall in love with me, which I am not totally against." He smirked, one she knew he had done before, it was a charming smirk but she wasn't falling for it._

"_I think I'll be able to protect myself against you, but," she said, lowering her head. "You said until I start earning money, but I can't earn money."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because I have no skills, I have never been employed." _

"_Clary, there are jobs that do not require any training."_

"_Yes but those are more for teenagers not older woman like me."_

"_Clary you aren't fifty, what are you twenty? These jobs are not only for teenagers, they are for helping older people gain new skills. Why don't I give you a job?"_

"_Thanks but I don't want charity and besides I don't think I would do well at...where do you work?"_

"_Wayland Insurance." _

"_Huh, I read about you in the newspaper once, I think I used that section as a blanket that night." She smiled at him, he looked shocked. "Wait, Wayland Insurance as in you? Jace Wayland?"_

_He smiled, ridding the shocked look from his face. "Indeed, it was my father's company he left it to me. I am CEO."_

"_You are the youngest CEO I know." _

"_I am twenty three thank you very much but my father had trained me in what to do and I have advisors that help me. So how about it, want a job?"_

"_No, I think I should start small and not jump right into an office environment. Maybe a cleaner, do you have any janitor positions available?"_

"_As a matter of fact...no, but I am looking for a fulltime house keeper here, all you would need to do is tell the maids and cooks what to do, inspect it all, it's an attractive salary."_

"_How attractive?"_

_Jace looked down at himself. "You get to watch me walk around shirtless, watch me work out and swim even in the shower if you wish." Clary laughed._

"_As tempting as that sounds I think I'll pass." She made to get up when he put a hand on her shoulder._

"_Clary, just take the job, please." She sighed._

_She guessed it was better than nothing, and it would build experience for her._

_She accepted._

_***__**Flashback**__***_

Clary was giddy, she had a job, a real job and she got to stay in this house all day and ordering people around—that part she wasn't too thrilled with—and make sure everything was right. She felt that it was a big responsibility; she had a feeling that if something was to get broken Jace wouldn't be nice anymore.

Clary fell asleep dreaming of starting a new life for herself and dreaming of the man that made it possible.

* * *

Clary was in the kitchen waiting for her breakfast when Isabelle burst through the doors, a black haired man behind her.

"Good morning Clary," She said before going over to what was to eat. Clary looked at the man, he was tall with black hair and brown eyes and thick black rimmed glasses, his hair was cut neat and his suit was creased to perfection.

"Hi," she said after a long moment of silent had passed. "I'm Clary."

The man regained his composure.

"I've heard all about you. I'm Simon—" Isabelle cut in before he could say anything else.

"My fiancée." She stated, as if Clary had gone up and started humping Simon's leg.

"And my partner." Jace said as he entered the room, slapping Simon on the back. "Did you tell them the news?" Clary shook her head and Jace grinned mischievously.

"What news?" Isabelle piped up, as she straightened Simon's tie.

"You aren't the only engaged couple in the room." Clary choked on her coffee and Isabelle pulled hard on the tie, choking Simon in the process.

"What?" All three of them yelled in unison as Jace started laughing while pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Priceless." Jace said shaking his head and taking a sip. Isabelle regained her composure quickly.

"So what is there news?"

"Yes, Clary got herself a job." Clary smiled weakly at Jace's announcement. "She is now the head housekeeper here." Isabelle's eyes bulged.

"Jeez, I could have given you a job at my store." Isabelle shook her head and Simon just looked confused.

"I thought you were looking for a secretary Jace? You know a junior one, why doesn't Clary do that?" Simon said, Jace stared at him in horror.

"Because I have already begun interviewing for that position and it wouldn't be fair would it?" Jace countered.

"Who cares, those girls _or_ boys have experience they can find another job, and this one is a lot better than being a cleaner." Isabelle said the word cleaner as if it was dirty.

"I already said I don't mind, I don't want to start off in an office, I have never worked a day in my life, unless you count the nights I worked," they stared at her in shock. "Kidding. Anyway, I don't want to start a job with something I have no knowledge of. Whereas with this job, I at least _know_ how to clean, I did it enough at the orphanage."

They fell silent, obviously they never thought of where Clary was that cause here to wind up in the streets. She had not mentioned it.

"Well, I'm going to go get ready. Have a nice day everyone." Clary got up and left the kitchen, halfway up the stairs she heard her name.

"Clary, are you sure you're okay with this job, I could give you the junior one, if that's what you would prefer."

Clary walked down the stairs and stood in front of Jace and hugged him.

"This is more than I could have hoped for. Thank you."

* * *

**Author's note:**

_Don't kill me for taking so long, I am so sorry, work and life got in the way and I lost my motivation. I promise (well I can't really promise) but I am hoping to update this a lot more. I have it all planned out._

_Thanks and please review!_


	4. First Day

**Author's note:**

Hello there, well I found my plan for this! It turns out I skipped a whole chapter, but never fear I will make up for it, so it is Clary's first day what will happen? There will be twenty eight chapters and an epilogue, I have another TMI idea but I don't want to start it until this fic and my other one are near completion, but tell me what you think my next fic should be on my poll on my profile

Read and find out.

X

* * *

"Joanne!" Clary yelled, calling on the head maid. It was her first day as head housekeeper and she was halfway through her day, nothing eventful had really happened so far, until now.

"Yes miss?" came a feeble voice at her side, Clary turned and stared at the woman pointing at the dust pile that had been swept under the Persian rug in the sitting room.

"What is this?" She demanded, Clary felt bad ordering people around like this but Isabelle and Jace had both told her to be firm or she would be walked all over, she wished one of them was here now so that she didn't feel so alone, she had no real idea what she was doing all Jace had said was she was in charge of the staff and got an attractive pay, she had no bank account so she had no idea where she was going to put this money, she had decided to save until she could afford to rent an apartment and hopefully still work for Jace here.

The girl visibly shook. "Ummm I don't—I mean I _know_ what it is but I don't know why it is there." She answered her head low Clary had to restrain herself from comforting the girl.

"Well, make sure it is dealt with." She walked off and felt guilty about what she had just done but Jace's voice spoke in her mind, a whisper of a memory.

"_Clary, be firm, you don't want to be walked all over."_

"_What if I can't, I mean, I don't think I would be good at bossing people around." She said, anxiety creeping into her voice._

"_Clary," he took her hand and looked into her eyes. "You'll do fine."_

She took a deep calming breath and continued into the kitchen, looking for anything out of place, there was nothing it was spick and span she grinned and marked it off on her sheet, Jace did this as a trial so that he could see what she had written in her notes and tell her if she was doing good or bad.

She hoped she was doing well.

Clary was enjoying her day, nothing had gone wrong.

_Smash_

She had spoken to soon. She raced into the parlour where a very nervous young maid was staring at a pile of broken crystal at her feet.

"I am so sorry Miss, I didn't mean too, I was just moving it to dust and...And..." She started crying, was Clary really being that hard on them?

"It's fine, it was an accident don't worry about it, just clean it up I'll let Mr Wayland know." She smiled kindly at the young girl and she seemed to lose some tension. Clary made her way into a private room, it looked like an office, and used the phone, she looked down at it and saw that 'The office' was in the speed dial. She hit the number and waited.

_One...two...three...four...five..._

"Good afternoon Wayland Corporation this is Aline speaking."

Clary paused, for some reason she had expected Jace to answer.

"Hi, this is Clary Fray I am calling for Jace Wayland?" It sounded like a question.

"What is this regarding?"

"His home."

"One moment please."

_One...Two...Three...Four...Five...Six...Seven...Eight..._

"Clary?" Jace's voice came through the receiver and she felt relieved.

"Oh thank god I got you, sorry for calling but I need some help."

"Clary I am quite busy can this wait until I get home?"

"Someone smashed something." She said it in a rush.

"What did they smash?" His voice was controlled.

"A vase, a crystal vase out in the parlour." Jace groaned.

"Fire them." He said.

"What? No!"

"Clary I gave you on order, do it." He didn't say it meanly but there was an undertone of authority that she didn't like.

"I am not firing someone over a broken vase, that's preposterous!" She said defensively.

He sighed and it sounded irritated.

"Fine, we will talk about this when I get home, as _soon_ as I get home, got it?"

"Yes sir!" She said sarcastically. He hung up.

Clary was not looking forward to five o'clock.

* * *

Clary waited in the living room, gripping her glass of water tightly, Jace would be home soon and he would be furious. She heard the door bang open and closed and knew _it_ was here.

"Clarissa, kitchen now!" He boomed and she got up, not wanting to fight.

She walked into the kitchen and was brought up short; a beautiful blonde haired blue eyes slender girl was there, smirking at her.

_Bitch_, she thought and smirked back.

Jace indicated the seat across from him.

"I am not happy and do you know why Clarissa?" She wished he would stop calling her that, she hated it.

"Because someone broke your vase."

"Very good, also you called me at work to tell me this and then refused a direct order from me. I am starting to think you are not cut out for the workforce." Clary stood.

"Then fire me, I would rather not have a job if I had to become as cold and heartless as you!" Jace blinked, no one had ever spoken to him like this before.

"I am not going to fire you, what I am going to do is give you one more chance, tomorrow, you will fire the culprit, am I clear?" Clary scoffed at him and his eyes narrowed.

"No, I will not, it was an accident."

"That is not the point!" He yelled, banging his fist on the table.

"Then what is! What if it had been me to smash the vase, what would you do then?"

"Forgive you of course, you are untrained but this other person isn't they know what they are doing and still—"

"I broke it; I take full responsibility for it." She spoke calmly but she was trembling.

Jace looked gobsmacked, the girl was wide eyed and Clary was smug.

"If that is all I think I will continue with my reading." Clary got up and left the kitchen, hearing the door open again, she bumped into Simon.

"Sorry," he muttered. "Didn't see you." He looked awkward.

"You heard that didn't you?"

"Every syllable. What you did was very brave." She smiled.

"Thanks."

"Clarissa!" Jace yelled again, Simon looked at her kindly and followed her to the kitchen.

"Yes _master_?" She asked mockingly.

"This is my Personal Assistant Kaelie; she will be staying with us tonight, so to it that a bed is made up." Kaelie looked smug.

"Right away,"

Clary walked up the stairs and didn't bother looking for a spare room, she went straight to hers, locking the door, hoping not to be disturbed as she regretted ever agreeing to staying here.

_How can he be so cold?_

* * *

**Author's note:**

Yeah, that was a tad mean wasn't it?

Next chapter title: Awkward Positions.

Hmmmm, review for a preview and vote on my poll!

Please?

Review!

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	5. Awkward Positions

**Author's note:**

_Hello again and I hope you are enjoying reading this._

_I really am trying to update as much as possible this and Bond of Death, it proves to be difficult when you have so much work during the weeks that you just pass out when you get home._

_Anyway, enjoy, __**warning, citrus action ahead**__._

_Don't forget to vote on my poll and check out my profile for extra content. _

_It seems that I have found a perfect song for both of my fics, this one's would be __**'The A Team' by Ed Sheeran**_

_Review! X_

* * *

To say dinner was awkward was the understatement of the century. The air was thick with tension, anger coming from Jace and seeping into Clary's pores. Clary didn't look up once and Isabelle strained to make conversation, she didn't know why there was so much tension, Simon had not informed her, he just answered her attempts at conversation while Jace stared angrily at the red headed girl, as she ignored his blazing gold eyes.

"So, anyway Maia knocked down the whole display, really I was surprised she didn't break the table. That girl is so clumsy." Isabelle laughed and Clary could tell it was forced, she wondered, not for the first time that evening, where Kaelie was, did she not eat?

"So Isabelle you never did tell me," Clary began, speaking for the first time and keeping her eyes pinned on Isabelle and not golden haired asshole. "What exactly you do for a living?"

"Oh," Isabelle began, seeming keen to speak and not look at Jace herself. "Well I am a fashion designer and I have my own line and store called, Iz, I know it's not that great a name but I get a lot of famous clients, entrepreneurs, upper east sider's, a lot of different people and it is so great." She grinned and Clary grinned too, seeing her eyes light up like this, Clary could tell that Isabelle loved her work.

"Wow that sounds amazing." She nodded and Clary began picking at her food again. She had no appetite, seeing Jace so angry had bothered her more than she was willing to admit, she hadn't known why she thought that he would treat her so kindly after all that Isabelle had told her, but now she knew that to him, she wasn't anything special.

"Clarissa," Jace spoke up, Simon and Isabelle tensed. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" Clary went rigid and dropped her fork, it made a distinctive note of finality as it hit the fine china plate.

"How," she took in a deep breath and looked into those blazing molten gold eyes, not in the least afraid. "How dare you?"

"How dare I? How dare you! You disregarded a direct order from me, on your first day at your first job! Nothing gives you the right!" Clary stood, her chair falling back.

"You just asked me if my Mother had ever taught me life lessons when you know _damn_ well I have no mother! Nothing gives _you_ the right!" Clary stormed off, blinking away tears, she would not, in anyway, cry.

She ran up the stairs and went to her room, slamming the door behind her and leaning against it, sliding down the length of it, hugging her knees to her chest, wishing that for once, someone would show her kindness and never take it back.

Who was she kidding?

She looked around her room until she found was she was looking for, placing it on the bed and stuffing things inside it.

_Stupid pretty boy doesn't know anything about me; he is going to regret the day he brought me here._

* * *

Jace took a deep calming breath. How could he have been so stupid? He knew that Clary came from an orphanage and had obviously never been adopted, why did he have to say that?

He knew why, he wanted to hurt Clary, like he had never wanted to hurt anyone in his life, and he was using words to do it, for in the end, words stung more than anything, no matter what other people say, eventually they eat at you until they are all you can hear in your head.

"Jace," Isabelle seethed. "What was that about?"

Isabelle has this thing she does, where she doesn't get angry and blow up, but she speaks in heavy breaths and clenches her fists, but her tone is low and menacing, Jace calls it the aftermath, it is what Izzy normally does after a huge fight.

"That was about Clarissa not following orders; she is an employee of mine and as such, must take direction from me." Jace spoke non-chalantly but inside he was wrestling with himself and what he had just done.

_I should apologize. No I shouldn't it is her own fault. I'm an asshole, I should talk to her. She is just a stubborn mule of a woman._

"So that was grounds to bring up the family that she never knew? Never had?" Isabelle's voice raised a little, but she was still in aftermath mode.

Jace said nothing, he just gave Isabelle a look that told her to be quiet and he got up from his seat and walked out into the hall, staring at the stairs, still trying to decide what to do.

_Go talk to her. No, go to your room where you know Kaelie is waiting for you. Making amends with Clary is more important than sex. Nothing is more important than sex. Clary is. No she isn't. Yes she is! How would you know, you barely know her?_

Jace blinked at the thought, it was true, he barely knew Clary but he had a feeling that if he did not make amends with her he would regret it, forever.

Decision made he ascended that stairs, heading in the direction of Clary's room, he bumped into her, she was holding a duffle bag.

"Going somewhere?" He asked coyly, looking her up and down.

Clary was dressed in what Jace knew were running away clothes. She wore dark blue skinny jeans with a I love NY t-shirt with black ankle length converse on her feet. Jace repressed a sigh.

"Yes, in fact I am." She raised her chin, going for defiance.

"May I ask where?"

"Just because you ask," Clary stepped forward; she now stood less than a foot away from him, Jace felt oddly flustered. "Does not mean you get a response." She began to walk away when Jace grabbed her wrist pulling her back.

"What do you think you are doing?" Clary asked through gritted teeth.

Jace had to admire that a life in an orphanage and on the streets did not stop Clary from learning, she was brilliantly smart. Jace wondered where she had learned all these words and eloquence from, but thought it best not to ask.

"Walking around _my _house, what are you doing?" He enquired of her, trying not to show that the fact that she was holding a bag and looking to be leaving was causing him to panic, he did not know why, but it was happening.

"Leaving _your_ house," she tried to push past him but he would not let her go, he didn't want too.

"Look Clary, I'm really sorry." Something in his voice must have sounded sincere, she stopped moving and looked straight at him, assessing. "I didn't mean to say what I did and I didn't mean to lose my temper, it's just you have to be prepared for stuff like this happening, whether you want it to or not, you have to follow my orders and you _will_ need to fire people sometimes. Can you handle that?"

She stared at him for what felt like forever and finally, almost reluctantly, she nodded.

"Good, now go put this stuff back and I will see you in the morning."

Without another word Clary spun back on her heel and slammed the door to her room.

_Well, she is obviously still mad._

Jace retreated to his room, shutting it and gazing at the figure on his bed, she was seductively trailing her fingertips up her thigh.

"You kept me waiting long enough." She purred and Jace came over, stripping off his shirt.

"My apologies," He crawled up the bed, up the entire length of her and kissed her slow and seductively.

"That's better."

Jace forgot about Clary, forgot about the way he felt thinking that she was leaving, Kaelie held his full attention now, and he planned on keeping it that way getting lost in her body for the rest of the night.

* * *

Clary tossed and turned and groaned. She could not, for the life of her, get back to sleep. She had woken from a dream, a confusing dream, pictures and swirling colours. She didn't like it and now she couldn't sleep because of it.

She gave up, sitting up and slipping her shoes into her slippers. She thought that perhaps Jace was still up and could go talk to him; maybe he would have some sleeping pills or something.

Clary assessed herself in the floor length mirror. She was wearing a pink tank pyjama short and some chequered shorts with pink slippers, her hair was up and she fixed it so it looked neat. She thought about applying some make up or maybe changing into one of the Victoria Secret teddies in the cupboard and—

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

Clary back away from the mirror, since when did she primp herself for a man, the thought was laughable, if a man could not handle her dishevelled he could not handle her dressed up.

Then again, Clary had never got dressed up for a guy before; she had never been on a date, she had kissed men and she was not a virgin, but it had never been special, it never meant anything other than getting her off of the streets for a while or getting her somewhere, it was never because she cared for a—

Did she care for Jace?

She barely knew him, she just felt for him because he was so kind, that was all, she had no romantic interest in him and it wasn't as if he would ever want anything to do with her, she was a nobody and he was a billionaire somebody.

Still, she needed to sleep and Jace was the only person here that could possibly help her, with that thought she walked out of the room and along the corridor to Jace's room.

As she got closer, she thought she heard a giggle, of course that was ridiculous, Jace did not giggle. She crept up to the door and twisted the handle as quietly as she could, pushing the door open a crack so that she could see inside. What she saw nearly caused her to scream.

Locked in a passionate embrace on the giant four poster bed, were Jace and Kaelie. Clary clamped a hand over her mouth, to stop from screaming, yelling or throwing up, she did not know.

She could not move, she seemed to be frozen there and she could not help but see what was happening in front of her.

Clary stared, her mouth flopped open as she watched the passionate embrace before her, she was frozen, she knew she should run, but she simply couldn't. Neither of them could see her, the door was tucked behind a rather large bookcase, obscuring their view but not her's.

"Oh that feels so good." She heard Kaelie purr. She watch his lips travel up her thighs, to her core, up her stomach and breasts, up her arms and neck and then finally crashing onto her lips, she watched as Kaelie began to unbutton Jace's pants and watched as she pulled them down. Now they were both clad in only their underwear. Jace moved his hands to her back and Clary saw, just in time, the clasp of Kaelie's bra come off.

Clary ran before she saw anymore, she could not take it. She ran to her room, trying to hold back sobs and she slammed the door, wondering if that would interrupt _them_ and hoping it did.

Clary seethed, she had no idea why she had had that reaction.

What was this feeling brewing insider her? It was not anger nor was it rage; it was something else, something that ran much deeper. Clary realised her mistake, she had been foolish enough to think that perhaps Jace would take her on a date, he had shown her kindness, why would he not take her out.

_You fucking idiot Clarissa!_

She slid down the length of the door, feeling tears prickle in her eyes but she pushed them back, he was not worth her tears, the only man that would be worth her tears was the one she loved, and he would not make her cry.

She was shaking; she hated this feeling, the feeling of vulnerability, the feeling of being hurt, especially by _him_.

Clary shook it off and stood.

Jace was a player, Isabelle and told her, he was a man-whore and Clary should not be having feelings for a man like that. No, he was no man, he was still a child, and idiot, insolent child and Clary had no time for him.

She abolished any feelings she had for Jace that was not friendship or work related and promised herself to never feel anything towards someone like him again.

Most of all she promised her heart that the man she gave it to would not break it, like she knew Jace would.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

_So, did you like it?_

_Check out the song 'The A Team' and look at my profile for extra content and vole on my poll._

_Next chapter title: **Cold Shoulder**_

_Review!_

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	6. Cold Shoulder

**Author's Note:**

_Hello!_

_Oh Jace, will you ever learn?_

_Well, he is about to!_

_Enjoy._

_Review?_

_X_

* * *

Jace sauntered into the kitchen later than usual, with Kaelie right behind him. Clary watched them with disgust clear on her face. Isabelle and Simon had come over again this morning, Clary didn't know _why _they were here every morning, she knew the Jace and Simon were partners but she had no idea why that meant that they had to be here.

"Good morning," Kaelie said in an overly cheery voice. "Did everyone sleep well? I know _I_ did." Jace had come to sit across from Clary, a coffee cup in his hand and at Kaelie's statement he looked at Clary like he wished she had not heard that.

She wished she hadn't seen it.

"So, Clary how was your first day?" Isabelle asked, clearly wanting to change the subject. Clary stared at Jace a moment longer, letting her anger seep into her eyes, Jace looked at her confused until she turned away.

"Excellent, couldn't ask for a better first day." She said in a high pitched voice. Kaelie glared at her while Isabelle and Simon looked at her like she had lost her mind.

"Clary—" Jace began but Clary cut him off, ignoring him.

"Oh look at the time, I better start getting ready." She got off of her seat and stood, going to her room to prepare for the day.

She didn't know why she was so angry at Jace, he was doing what any straight man would do when presented with someone like Kaelie, who was all but willing to do _anything_, but she thought that maybe Jace was different, even after Isabelle's warnings, she thought that maybe, she had changed him, in the short time she was here perhaps she had brought the good out in him. He had saved her after all, he could have left her to die but he didn't, he took her in to his beautiful home and gave her a job, something she never thought would be possible, but he _made_ it possible, this life was something she couldn't have even imagined and she felt as if she was taking it for granted.

No, she wasn't taking everything he had given her for granted, she was beyond thankful, beyond any kind of emotion.

If Clary was being honest with herself, she would see the truth, but the truth was not pleasant.

She had started to develop feelings for Jace and she thought that maybe, he would have feelings for her and then she would finally get her happy ending.

She knew this would never happen and she may aswell give up now. She was going to be as cold to Jace as he had been to her and then, maybe, he would let her out of his life and she could get over the stupid feelings she had.

_At least_, she thought with a smile, _I am not in love with him_

_#####_

Jace was having, possibly, the worst day imaginable.

First, Clary had been really cold to him this morning, he figured that she was still bitter over the way he had scolded her, but she had to learn, if she didn't listen, especially to a boss, she would get eaten alive in the working world. Jace was just trying to teach her, that and the vase that was smashed cost him a lot of money.

Not that he would have cared if Clary herself _had_ smashed it, she had no training he expected her to do something wrong. Jace was thinking of that when he realised that Clary had done her job completely right, she had actually done everything he asked—except for that one mishap—and she was determined. Jace pondered this thinking that maybe he had made a wrong decision in hiring Clary.

Maybe, she wasn't cut out for being a housekeeper at all, maybe, just maybe, she needed to start smaller.

"My. Wayland?" A voice came through his intercom.

"Yes Aline?" Aline was his head receptionist, she handled all of his most important tasks and gave him and Kaelie there work schedules.

"Mr Bane, Lightwood and Lewis are here to see you."

"Send them all in."

Jace muted the intercom speaker as the three men walked into his office, shutting the doors behind them and closing the blinds.

"What's this about?" Jace asked impatiently, leaning back on his chair his feet on his desk, picking some lint from his suit.

"Well we need to talk about the Morgenstern Corporation." Alec Lightwood muttered, his black hair falling into his eyes, shaking it away and patting it flat. His blue eyes looked wary as he watched Jace.

"What about it?" Jace was bored, he could not count the number of times that Valentine Morgenstern had tried to overtake his father in popularity but he had never one, now that Jace was in charge he thought he had a much better chance. Jace was young, younger than most CEO's but Valentine also had a son, the same age as Jace, and was using him to do his dirty work.

"Well as you know, for years they have tried to overtake you, bringing out new and improved policies, trying to rival ours and they have never succeeded but they are bringing out new ways of trying and the ramifications that this new policy of theirs could have on the company could be exceedingly severe—" Alec was cut off by Magnus, who yawned dramatically while expecting his nails.

"Really darling must we bore him with facts he is aware of, _I_ came here for the juicy stuff." Magnus's grin made Jace uneasy.

"What juicy stuff?" He asked cautiously.

"This new girl you have living with you, I didn't believe Simon or Isabelle when they told me, so you have to tell me. Who is she?" Jace was astonished; they had come here to talk about _Clary_?

"Why does everyone think that I have nothing better to do with my time than to talk about Clary?" He shook his head. He had a job to do and it was not going to get done if he just sat around talking about girls.

"Clary, cute name, is she pretty? Well of course she is you picked her up didn't you?" Magnus was babbling but Jace had tuned out.

Why was everyone so interested in why he had helped Clary? Would they have just left her there? Jace may be an asshole at times but he would not leave someone who was clearly dying in the streets, he wouldn't have been able to walk past them, although he had walked past homeless people before and not taken a second glance, but Clary was different. She was young and weak and he had the needless sense that he had to protect her, though he didn't know why he had seen that she could protect herself. Still, he felt as though she was his responsibility until she got on her own two feet, he would not let her leave and go back to the streets, he would sooner buy her a place of her own before that happened.

_Maybe __**I**__ should buy her an apartment..._

"Jace, are you even listening?" Alec broke through his thoughts with a scowl.

"What?" Jace asked confused. Alec had been talking?

"Clearly he was lost in thought over this mysterious Clary."

"Magnus, will you put a sock in it!" Simon yelled. "You don't know Clary and you don't know what she is like so just leave it." Simon seethed and the three other men looked at him astonished.

"Did he just yell at _me_?" Magnus asked of no one. "I think he did. Are you not engaged Simon? Shouldn't you be defending your fiancé and not this other girl or have you fallen under her spell like Jace clearly has?"

Simon and Magnus began arguing while Alec shook his head and Jace thought.

Was he gaining feelings for Clary? No, it wasn't possible, he was Jace Wayland he didn't _feel_ like that, not towards girls, he was too young to fall in love, wasn't he?

"I'm going out." Jace was ignored as he grabbed his jacket from its hook and stepped out of his office, telling Aline to hold his calls and pass them through to Kaelie.

He needed air, he needed to think and he needed to rethink his decision of letting Clary into his life.

_#####_

Clary hadn't spoken to Jace in over a week, not since she saw that _incident_ with Kaelie. She had no idea why she was so angry at him for that but she didn't bother to linger on it, she was angry at him and not talking to him and she preferred it that way.

This way she didn't have to acknowledge him and confess why she was so angry.

So she thought.

Clary was sitting in her room, idly sketching in a little notebook she used for work when her door banged open and closed and was locked.

"What the—" Clary sucked in a sharp breath as she saw who had barged in.

It was Jace.

Suddenly, Clary became very conscious of what she was wearing, her sleep shorts and camisole did not cover her up enough and the camisole did not go past her waist.

"Jace, what are you doing here?" She had forgotten to be angry with him and he seemed stunned until he regained his composure.

"I came to get your evaluation for the week." Jace said calmly and Clary saw a muscle at his jaw jump, he was lying, because she had already given him the evaluation.

"No you didn't." She stated boldly, whatever he had come here for he could tell her straight.

"No, I didn't." He agreed. "I came here to talk to you about you attitude."

Clary looked shocked at that statement. _Her_ attitude? Was he serious?

"Attitude, I am afraid I don't recall an attitude,_ sir_." She said the last word mockingly and then it occurred to her that she did have an attitude.

"Clarissa, I am your employer, if you do not wish to respect me then I will cast you out." He was serious, she could tell, Clary was always good at reading people and their moods, that was when she knew who to ask money from and who to let alone.

"Then do it, I would rather be back out there than under a roof where every bed has a notch taken!" That wasn't all true, she wanted to stay here, she truly loved it there, but she did not want to hear Jace's escapades with other women.

"What are you talking about?"

"You and your ability to be a promiscuous ass!" She huffed.

"So, I am not allowed to have sex_ in my own home_?" He seemed outraged.

Clary sat heavily on the bed, her head in her hands, her breathing deep and shallow. Jace came over after a few beats and placed a comforting hand on her back.

"Clary, what is bothering you?" He asked his tone soft.

Clary breathed out once more and then deigned to tell him. "I saw you, that night, in your room. I was having trouble sleeping and I came to you, to see if you could help me sleep—I don't know how, maybe you had a book or something, anyway, I came to your room and I heard...giggling, I thought something may have been wrong for I am sure you don't giggle and so I opened the door and there you were, with _her_ and you were...well, you know what you were doing." She looked up into his eyes; he was staring straight at her, regret in his golden eyes.

"Clary—" He began, but she cut him off, standing in front of him.

"Look, it doesn't matter, you are free to do as you wish, I guess I was just...shocked? Isabelle had told me of your womanising but I had yet to witness it so I didn't believe it, I don't know why I reacted like I did, maybe it was because we had had a fight and I came to you to see you busy with someone else, I suppose I had the assumption that you always had time for me. Look, don't worry about it, I'm fine." She tried to smile, but it was half hearted at best.

Jace stood and hugged her to him, it was strange, Clary thought, they barely knew one another and yet they knew so much.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, but, well, I am a man and I am still young. What Isabelle told you is more than likely all true; I just want to have fun while I can." Clary stepped out of his embrace and he did not question her, but something he said struck home.

He wanted to have fun, so to him women were playthings to be used and then tossed aside; he was committed to no one. No wonder Isabelle had warned her to not fall for him, she was right, if Clary had fallen for him, her heart would be smashed like so many others.

"Clary, are you sure you are alright?" He asked and she nodded and indicated the bed.

"Just tired." Jace nodded and walked over to the door, unlocking it and opening it.

"You know, if you ever do need my help, for sleep or anything else, knocking goes a long way." He grinned.

"I'll keep that in mind. Good night Jace."

"Good night Clary."

He closed the door and Clary looked around her room, to distract her from thoughts of Jace.

He was no good for her and that was that.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

_Well, Jace and Clary cuteness and revelation._

_So, good? Bad? Ugly? O.O_

_Let me know!_

_Next Chapter;_

_**Promotion**_

_Hmmm. _

_Review?_

_X _


	7. Promotion

**Author's note:**

_*Clears throat*_

_I love you?_

_X_

* * *

"Good morning Wayland Corporation this is Clarissa speaking, how can I help you?"

Clary had to utter this line at least twenty times before Aline let her move on to her next task. Filing; Clary wrinkled her nose at that, she had never been a hugely organised person and organising someone else's things just seemed like something she would not enjoy.

"So Clary, we file according to the PD, that is the Policy Date, and it goes from the newest to the oldest, that does not mean that it is only from when the policy was put into place. Anytime that a file is taken out and changed or reviewed, it gets a new PD and then is filed under that new date, everyday you will write on one of these," She held up a file divider and pointed to the little white tab. "And add that days date." Clary nodded, she was going to have trouble keeping up, though Jace had said that Aline would be there to answer any and all of her questions.

"Okay, so I am going to get you to practice some filing for me." She placed down a pile of, at least, twenty pieces of paper with a note written on each piece. "File these into the correct date files." She looked at Clary expectantly. Clary shook herself and got into motion, finding the correct folders for each paper.

"Good," Aline praised once Clary was done. "It will be a lot harder once you actually file the policies themselves." She looked at her watch. "Look at that, lunchtime and we have covered everything. You know about the phones, the filing, emailing, intercom, taking messages, opening Jace's mail and dropping it into Kaelie's tray, opening Simon's mail and dropping it into his tray, cleaning the kitchen, printing, photocopying and starting to make folders for the policies. I think we deserve our hour break, wanna go to lunch?"

Aline was a nice woman, Clary thought, she seemed to be serious in teaching Clary but friendly when Clary had done the tasks and she was hungry so Clary nodded. Aline walked over to the elevator and pressed L for Lobby, they were on the 34th floor, Jace's company only had the 34th and 35th floors, but that was enough.

The New York branch of the Wayland Corporation was the head office, used to keep track of all policies, the important board meetings, this all happened on the 34th floor, the 35th was where all the agents took the calls to create the policies, Clary would be spending a lot of time going up there, dropping off mail, files when asked and picking mail and files up.

She was excited; this job seemed to be so good and with a pretty good salary from what Jace had told her.

She remembered him telling her he no longer needed her as his housekeeper, Clary was worried at first, thinking that perhaps, he was not going to hire her for anything and then he asked her to come to his company with him in the morning, she agreed, warily.

* * *

_Clary entered the car and sat next to Jace, buckling up her seatbelt. She was nervous; she had no idea why Jace was bringing her to work with him. _

_They rode in silence, Clary lost in her thoughts; she didn't even take note of what floor they were going up to in the elevator. When they walked into the office, however, she stopped short. _

_The office was beautiful; it's high glass windows, flooding the space in sunlight, offices branched out and hidden behind giant mahogany doors. The room was carpeted and looked to be used as a way to get from office to office, it seems as though this was where all the most important figures of Wayland Corp, she also saw a room with a fairly large electronic gizmo where a slender Asian woman was working. As she followed behind Jace, she saw a few people mingling, stare at her as if she was an alien._

_**Obviously, he doesn't bring women to work often.**_

_Clary walked in behind Jace, into an office with double glass doors and three doors with gold plated name signs on them. A desk which was in the shape of a U, two computers set up on opposite ends, trays filled with files and papers. _

_Clary smiled, this is the kind of place that she always dreamed she would work in, it look prestigious and if she was seen here, she would feel like a somebody. Jace opened the door inscribed—in gold no less—with his name and title. Clary entered and Jace locked the door behind him, telling someone to hold his calls and appointments. He gestured for Clary to sit in the chair opposite his opposing desk as he sat behind it. Clary walked up to the chair but did not sit, she felt as if she would be dirtying it if she even touched it. _

"_Clary, take a seat." Jace said, sitting up and watching her carefully. Clary shook her head and he seemed puzzle. _

"_I feel so...out of place and if I sat in __**that**__," she pointed to the chair. "I feel like I would desecrate it or something." _

_Jace laughed a little and then shook his head. "Clary, just sit." He waited patiently until she sat, the chair was leather and comfortable, she squirmed a little until she was able to cross her legs, somehow that gesture made her feel more like she belonged in this seat than anything else. _

_Jace began to talk, telling her how much potential he thought she had and she should not be a house keeper. Clary was worried, he seemed to be firing her but telling her that she could make it, she doubted it, she had only been his house keeper for two weeks, he couldn't possibly believe she was ready for mainstream society, though perhaps, he was getting rid of her, once and for all. _

_She held up a hand, stopping him mid sentence. _

"_Look Jace, I can see where this is going and I want to thank you for everything, all the skills you have given me, the shelter, without asking for any repayment. Thank you, it has meant more to me than anything in this world." She stood up and began walking to the door when Jace's next words stop her dead in her tracks. _

"_Clary I want you to work for me, here." _

_Clary turned slowly, her mouth agape and her eyes wide. _

"_What?" It was the only thought she could put into words, for surely he had not said what she thought he had. _

_A small, rueful smiled appeared as he repeated himself, leaning against the desk he now stood in front of. "Clary, I want you to work for me, here." _

_Clary's vision blurred as happy tears formed in her eyes, she ran up and hugged Jace, never feeling so much gratitude for one person._

* * *

Clary sat across from Aline, sipping on a coffee and picking at her raspberry and white chocolate muffin.

It was her first day as an Administration Assistant, which was basically taking all of the little jobs from Aline and doing them herself, not that she minded, she was enjoying the day, especially since she had not seen Kaelie yet.

Isabelle had found it imperative that Clary dress to impress and took her out until Clary thought her feet would fall off, Isabelle had even come over early and dressed Clary, nearly putting the clothes on herself, but Clary drew the line there.

She had to admit, Isabelle had good taste, Clary quite liked her outfit.

She wore wide legged black trousers with a cream coloured ruffled short sleeved blouse on top, her feet had stylish black heels on them and she had a very expensive black bag along with a black coat. Clary also had a new purse, some money to keep her going until she got paid, a cell phone, a planner, an iPod and a heap more, Isabelle had justified exactly why Clary needed all of these things. New clothes to dress appropriately for work, a new bag to carry her things in, a purse to keep her money in, money to buy lunch with, a phone in case of emergencies, a planner—well Clary had stopped arguing after all of that. Clary had even gotten herself ready to take the subway or a bus, Jace was hearing none of it. She would take the town car, before him, seeing as she started half an hour before he did and finished half an hour after.

Clary was beyond grateful and she would find a way to pay back both Izzy and Jace, no matter how much they claimed they did not want anything back, she felt guilty that they were spending so much on her, someone they barely knew, of course, Isabelle was able to justify this too.

"Clary, not many people get a second chance, just take it, besides I spent less than half of what I would normally spend on myself going shopping."

Clary didn't argue with either Jace or Isabelle after that.

Clary was brought out of her thoughts by her new phone, she answered quickly, saying Jace's name was the caller I.D.

"Hello?" She asked, why would he be calling her now, she was on break.

"Clary, when you get back from lunch you have to come straight to my office, I have some people that wish to meet you."

Jace didn't sound happy that these people wanted to meet her, but she agreed none the less.

"We better get going," Aline said, gathering her things and putting money on the table, Clary followed suit. They both stood and walked out of the cafe. "I like to get back before Kaelie starts giving me orders." Aline made a face which made Clary like her even more. She didn't like Kaelie either.

"Wait until you meet her," Aline continued. "She is the most money hungry, whore-ish excuse for a human being." Aline looked over at her and stammered out an apology. "Sorry about the language." Clary just laughed.

"I understand you using it when it comes to her." Clary said and then stopped, looking at Aline who was giving her a confused look.

"How do you know Kaelie?" She asked.

It hadn't occurred to Clary whether or not Aline knew she lived with Jace.

"Oh, I met her when I was meeting with Jace." Clary smiled and Aline nodded, accepting this.

Clary wasn't sure if she should tell anyone that she lived with Jace, she decided not to, unless he told her differently.

* * *

Jace put down the phone shaking his head in dismay.

_Poor Clary, she had no idea what she would be walking into. _

"There, I have called her and she is on her way, happy?"

He got a smile in return, catlike was the only way he could describe the way Magnus smiled.

"Very, now I get to meet the woman you are so _enamoured _with." Magnus winked a glittery eye at Jace and he groaned turning to Alec and Simon.

"Can you believe this? I can't even do anything nice without someone thinking I have ulterior motives."

"Well, when have you?" He heard Simon mutter.

"I befriended you didn't I? If I hadn't you would be a twenty three year old virgin who lives with a cat and plays world of war craft all day. See," Jace turned to Magnus pointing at Simon. "I do help the less fortunate." Simon just shook his head.

Jace had met Simon at the beginning of middle school when some kid was picking on him, Jace punched the kid and helped Simon up, Simon offered him his chocolate milk in exchange for his help and after that, Jace thought he was cool and Simon began hanging out with Jace and Simon and then they got to high school and he started noticing girls, particularly one of his friends sisters and the rest was history.

There was a small knock at the door and Jace stood, rushing to open it before Magnus could.

Clary stood there, her eyes big and green, nervousness wreaked off of her. She was so tiny, Jace thought, she seemed as if she would fall over at any moment or be swept away by the wind.

"Come in Clary." Damn, he was supposed to be formal and pretend that her presence didn't bother her. Magnus gave him a knowing look before introducing himself.

"So, you are the infamous Clary? Jace never shuts up about you, honestly, I think he is obsessed, it can't be healthy." Jace waited for it, the distinct sound of a door slamming, the sound of Clary leaving, but instead he heard her laugh, not just a soft friendly laugh, like she was laughing so that Magnus would shut up, no, this is a large laugh, a laugh people used when they thought something was genuinely funny.

Jace turned and saw Clary smiling so broadly he was momentarily stunned.

_She really is quite pretty._

Magnus came up to him then, as Clary met Alec and talked to Simon.

"I like her Jace and so do you." Magnus then harassed Clary some more until Jace had to put his foot down and tell her to get back to work.

"Sorry about that." Jace said outside of his office, he and Clary were basically alone within the glass doors, except for Aline, although she was used to ignoring conversations she had no part in.

"Sorry? I thought they were great, if not, a bit eccentric." She smiled up at him and Jace wondered, a thought that had never occurred to him before, what it would be like to kiss her.

Jace looked into her luminous green eyes and began to lean down, he saw her understanding but she did not back away, she seemed to pout her lips, preparing for his kiss. Jace was so close, so very close; he could feel her breath and could almost feel her lips.

It was at that moment that he averted his eyes for a moment, just one moment, and saw Kaelie staring at the two like he had three heads. That was when reality crashed down on him. It was too late to back away from Clary, but instead of pressing his lips to hers, he moved them to her cheek.

Clary's eyes, which had closed, opened with confusion. Jace smiled as if nothing had gone on between them.

"Back to work, can't have you slacking on your first day." He patted her shoulder and moved towards Clary. "I hope these are the reports I asked for."

Kaelie glowered at him. "Oh, you're asking for something." She muttered and Jace pretended not to hear.

"Well, into your office then, my office is full of vultures, terrible problem." Kaelie stared at him for another moment before nodding and heading in the direction of her office. Jace looked back at Clary and saw her touch her cheek and then look at him in utter confusion.

Jace could not articulate to her why he had stopped the kiss.

Clary deserved better than him, she deserved a man who loved her, not lusted for her. She deserved someone who would be sweet and romantic and attentive, not someone would just bat her away at the first signs of feelings.

"_I like her Jace and so do you."_

Magnus had voiced Jace's greatest fear. Gaining feelings that were more than mere friendship for someone. He could not have that.

Particularly someone as sweet, innocent and fragile as Clary.

He moved his eyes from her and walked in the direction that Kaelie had.

"_I like her Jace and so do you."_

That was a problem.

* * *

**Author's note:**

_So sorry about the long wait, but I stretched it for you! (Yay?)_

_I was just wondering if any of you can do the following (granted you WANT too)_

_Create Icons/Pictures/Gifs_

_I will be creating a Tumblr and it will be, mainly, dedicated to my fics._

_Also, anyone have Tumblr? Let me know :)_

_ALSO!_

_Do not forget to check out the playlist and stuff for this, although links are not working which is frustrating!_

_Review?_

_X_


	8. The Enemy

**Author's note:**

_Hello everyone. _

_I hope you are enjoying my story as I enjoy writing it. _

_As you may have seen, I talked in my AN in the last chapter about creating a Tumblr. Well, I have._

_So you can check it out, follow, whatever. _

_I will post any pictures you guys make (please do! :D) Teasers, all that kind of stuff. _

_Go here: krystalrose92(dot)tumblr(dot)com_

_Review?_

_X_

* * *

"Who does she think she is fooling wearing _that_ dress." Aline whispered to Clary; snickering as they watched Kaelie walking out of Jace's office. "It's like she thinks we don't know they get up to a little afternoon delight." Aline looked down at some paperwork as Kaelie came over, throwing a file into Clary's already full tray.

"That needs to be finished today." She sneered and walked into her own office.

Clary sighed and opened the folder. She was really getting sick of Kaelie and her hostility towards her, Clary didn't understand it, she barely spoke to Kaelie and she doubted that the other girl had a sudden urge to be best friends. Clary opened the folder and began taking out the staples and reorganizing the papers for the client's folder and their note folder.

She was getting into a rhythm when making client files, it was quite easy.

When she finished she filed the clients one away in the cabinets that sat in the filing room on the right and went to Jace's office to deliver their not file. He had to go over them and then email the clients personally, though she didn't know why.

Clary went to her desk and picked up the file, turning to go to Jace's office when she bumped into something hard. A hand steadied her before she fell.

"I am so sorry." Clary looked up and was met by a black eyed gaze. Clary had never met this boy before, she was sure of it, but something seemed oddly familiar about him.

"Quite alright," He smiled and turned to Aline, asking to be signed in as a guest. Aline didn't look to happy to see this boy and Clary wondered who he was. She looked him over once more before heading to Jace's office, remembering to knock and waiting to hear him tell her to come in.

"Good job Clary, your first week here and you are knocking instead of just entering." He smiled at her kindly and then saw what was in her hands. "What have you got for me now?" Clary walked over and handed him the file, going through it and handing it back to her to file away.

"Well. I think it is time for you to send some e-mails." Jace opened a draw in his desk and pulled out two pieces of paper. Clary finally understood why she had to bring him the folders and why he emailed the clients, he was waiting for her to be ready to learn how to. She didn't understand why though, how hard could it be?

"Okay Clary, here is a template of the email that you send the clients, just type it into a word document and save it or type it everytime you are going to send an email to someone, either way here," he passed her the paper and she looked over it. "The second is a list that you will receive everyday and complete every day, all you have to do is type in the clients name everytime you send an email and there is an email address next to the name for you to send it too so—"

Jace was interrupted by a voice at the door. It really spoke volumes that neither of them had heard that door open.

_If they could soundproof the door why not the wall?_ Clary thought. Always having to listen to moans when Kaelie and Jace were on break, Simon was always out at that time and Clary and Aline had just come back, it was really inconsiderate; they could at least be quiet about it.

"Jace, I hope you aren't telling a capable young woman how to send an E-mail." Clary turned and saw the boy that she had bumped into standing in the doorway, moving forward he shut the door and looked Clary up and down, something flashed in his eyes but was gone before Clary could decipher what it was; she wondered if it was the same recognition that she herself felt when she first saw him.

Jace cursed which had Clary looking at him in shock. He had always spoken kindly when she was around—well he hadn't _sworn_ while she was around. Who was this boy that made everyone uneasy?

Clary soon got her answer.

"How rude your boss is Miss, not introducing old friends." The boy approached her, holding out his hand. "Jonathan Morgenstern, Vice president of Morgenstern Incorporated, and who might you be?"

Clary shook his hand; he seemed friendly enough so why was Jace looking at him like he wished to set him on fire.

"Clarissa Fray." Now that he was close, Clary looked at him more closely, trying to figure out how she knew him.

His hair was stark white, as if he had just bleached it and his eyes were as black as coal, he seemed to be the same height as Jace, which meant he was a foot or so taller than her and his build was lean. The suit he wore was clean and crisp.

"What are you doing here?" Jace asked in a careful voice, Clary thought that he may have been gritting his teeth.

"Can't a fella just come over to say hi?" Jonathan spread his hands in an innocent gesture. Only Clary, who was standing very close to him, could see the malice in his eyes. She could also tell that it was time for her to leave.

"Well, I'll just ask Aline the rest, I think I can manage." She took the paper with all of the names from his desk and looked up at him, giving him an encouraging smile that he returned. "I will see you later Ja—Mr Wayland." Clary turned and held her hand out to Jonathan who shook it and smiled at her, but the look in his eyes seemed to say that he was trying to figure out who she was.

"It was nice to meet you Mr Morgenstern." She released his hand and walked to the door. She was about to pull down the handle when he spoke up.

"Please, next time we meet, don't worry so much about shoving me." Jace looked at her wide eyed. "And please, call me Jonathan." Clary smile and left the office, shutting the door firmly behind her and practically running to her desk.

"Who was that?" She whispered to Aline while opening up a word document to begin typing out the email template.

"Jonathan Morgenstern, the son of Valentine Morgenstern, the CEO of Jace's rival company."

* * *

Jonathan Morgenstern was in the elevator to go down and away from the Wayland Corporation. He hated having to come here, but his father insisted that they needed to investigate what Jace was doing now, in order to beat him for the next trimester.

Although Jonathan couldn't focus on the numbers or policies, he could only think of one thing.

Clarissa Fray.

He had never met her before, he was very sure of that, but something about her was very familiar, almost like he knew her, like he had met her before and spent a lot of time with her, caring for her, but he couldn't know her, he would have remembered.

Jonathan only realised what was so familiar when he was being the taxi driver.

He pulled out his wallet and took out a twenty telling the driver to keep the change and then when he was about to put his wallet back into his pocket, he saw it, a picture that he had had for as long as he could remember.

Red hair, green eyes, short stature, petite, the person in the photo looked exactly like Clarissa, granted a little older, but Jonathan knew that the resemblance could not be a coincidence.

Clarissa looked exactly like the woman in his photo.

Exactly like his mother.

_It can't be..._

* * *

Clary was packing up for the day, everyone on her floor had already left, like usual, and she would have to lock up. She was just switching off the lights when a hand scared her, causing her to spin and clutch her chest at the person she saw there.

"Sebastian!" Clary screeched. "What are you doing?"

Sebastian Verlac worked on the 35th floor and had taken a liking to Clary on her first day, Clary always returned his smiles and sometimes they even talked in the elevator. She found that she liked talking to him, he was friendly enough and liked to talk to her. A lot. Clary also admired his good looks. He had black hair and chocolate coloured eyes, his nose was a bit crooked, probably from breaking it. He was tall and well muscled, Clary didn't understand why he liked her.

"I just wanted to ask you something while we are alone." Clary wasn't worried that he would attack her, she was quite capable of taking care of herself.

"Go on." She urged, turning off the lights and heading to the glass doors that separated her desk and the three offices from those of the senior member and filing rooms. She turned off those lights and headed to the entrance, key in hand. She locked the door after Sebastian walked out behind her and headed over to the elevators. He was being really quiet and Clary realised that he was nervous.

"Did you hear about the party tomorrow night?" Sebastian asked, running a hand through his hair, messing it. Clary found that rather endearing.

"Yeah, big office thing celebrating being open for like...thirty years or something." Sebastian smiled.

"Yeah that's the one. I was just wondering if you would, I mean if you already...what I'm trying to say is, do you want to go, with me?"

Clary was shocked, she didn't know what to say. She liked Sebastian and the prospect of going on a date with him was exciting, but she had the feeling that perhaps Jace would take her. That was when she realised that she relied on Jace for far too much and it was time for her to take things into her own hands.

Looking into Sebastian's eyes, she contemplated whether she should say yes or no.

_Give me a sign, any sign, to tell me what I should do._

The elevator arrived right on time.

* * *

**Author's note:**

_So, was that good?_

_What do you think of Jonathan and Sebastian?_

_Let me know!_

_X_


	9. Celebrations

**Author's note:**

_Hey all. _

_I must take some time to tell you how amazing you all are and how happy I am with the positive feedback this story has met, I could not be more thankful. _

_Okay, so here is the new chapter and I know a lot of you want a jealous Jace...who knows ;)_

_Don't forget to check out my profile for links to outfits and teasers! _

_Review?_

_X_

* * *

Clary looked down at her dress, pulling at the fabric. It seemed too tight, but Isabelle had insisted that it gave her curves, with the amount that Clary had been eating lately; she wasn't surprised by a little weight gain.

Clary breathed in a calming breath and withdrew it, she was so nervous, this would be her first ever social event and she hoped that she had all the right manners and decorum to assert herself.

The dress Clary wore was knee length and black, fitting her body perfectly with spaghetti straps, Isabelle had decided that even with her hair colour red was the best thing to go with the dress and Clary's feet were put into a pair of red heels and her hands held a red clutch. It was a cold night so around her shoulders she wore a black shawl. Her hair was down and in perfect waves and she wore little make up.

_You can do this, just act like you belong._

Clary repeated this over and over, as if it were a mantra. Hearing a knock at the door didn't help her feelings of anxiety and hearing Jace climb the stairs did nothing for it either.

Clary wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like to dance with Jace tonight—_did Jace even dance?_—he looked as if he would be a very graceful dancer, although she had no idea how true that could be. She imagined his long and piano playing fingers would hold her gently, but enough so that anyone else around knew that she was his. His golden eyes would sparkle and his lips would turn up into a sexy grin and then he would lean down and press those lips against her, causing a moan to escape her, his hands would tighten and her loins would clench—

_Holy shit!_

Clary shook her head, getting all thoughts of lips and loins away from her, that was not safe territory to cross. Jace was her boos, _her boss_, and apparently also the object of her sexual fantasies.

Clary took in another calming breath and walked out of her bedroom door, as she turned she bumped into something and nearly fell but strong hands gripper her upper arms keeping her level and steady. She looked up with a smile and was met by Jace's eyes.

"Thanks," She said, leaving his grip and stepping back. She looked up and saw something she never expected to see before in his eyes. He seemed to be studying her, and in her tight black dress, Clary felt very exposed, although the intensity in his gaze made her feel warm all over and like she captivated him as much as he had the first time they met. Clary felt as though he was seeing through her, seeing into her soul and the look in his eyes said he liked what he saw.

"Jace, are you okay?" She asked and it broke whatever trance he was under.

"Fine, it's just, you uh, you clean up well." Jace stammered. Clary was amazed, she had known Jace a month and he always spoke with such eloquence, he never _stammered_.

"Thank you," Clary grinned and looked over what Jace was wearing, a plain black and white suit that on anyone else would have looked boring, but on Jace, it looked great, emphasizing his muscle and bringing out his gold eyes. "So do you." He gave a rueful grin and turned to walk, Clary, in a feeling of sudden boldness, decided to ask him, the worst thing he could say was no.

"Jace?" He looked back at her and she nearly lost the boldness. "Save me a dance?"

He seemed startled by the question and then a small smile appeared, one Clary had never seen before, it was almost..._relieved?_

"Sure, I'll find you." She smiled at him before turning, when she reached the stairs she looked back and saw him watching her.

Something about that, something about Jace being to intent on her movements, something about his intense scrutiny and something about Jace in general, sent a heat through her body. She smiled at him once more before descending the stairs.

Sebastian looked up as she came down and he looked mystified. She reached him and stood just in front of him.

"Clary, you look, uh, wow." Clary grinned, but inside her body didn't react like it had when Jace told her how she looked. Hell, just the way he had _looked_ at her caused more within her than Sebastian did, but he was sweet and nice and handsome and showed an interest that Jace never had.

"You look, wow, too." He smiled and offered her his arm, with one last look up the stairs she accepted and they walked out of the manor and into a limo, with Champagne and two flutes waiting for them.

Clary's nervousness suddenly turned into anticipation. She could not wait for tonight, it would be her first _real_ party.

She just wished that the boy she was with was blonde.

* * *

"Whiskey, neat." The bartender got his order quickly and Jace gulped it down, wanting to feel the heat of the alcohol. To erase the images from his head. "Another." He indicated his glass and the bartender complied. He was about to down this one when a hand hitting his shoulder stopped him.

"What's up, _partner_?" Simon asked, sitting next to Jace on the bar stool.

Jace had rented out the infamous club, Pandemonium, for tonight's festivities, they had it until 4.a.m. and Jace was going to make it count.

"The ceiling, my near sighted friend." He clapped Simon's shoulder; his only reply was a roll of the eyes.

"I meant with you and you damn well know it." Simon poked Jace in the chest, he actually _poked_ him.

"Should I tell your fiancé that you are poking other _men_ now?" Simon groaned and Jace smirked. He always used his smartass comments to avoid uncomfortable subjects.

He himself had no idea what was wrong with him, normally he would be in amongst the partiers, getting drunk, dancing—making out with all the hot chicks, although with Kaelie always clinging to him, that was near impossible. Jace had rented this hall, only because it gave his guests free drinks, but the club was still open for regulars, Jace did that so that he had a variety of woman to look at. Though he tried to scope out a hottie, his eyes always drifted to one.

_Clary._

Jace thought it was the hair, it stood out, like fire but then his eyes would drift lower to her skin, it's paleness in stark contrast to all of the orange fake tans, then there was her normally slender body in the dress, squeezing every curve that it could. Clary looked breathtaking, he had never wanted a woman so much in his life, but it was wrong, Clary was not the type of girl he could just fuck and send on her way, mainly because her way was down the hall from his way.

Jace wondered why Clary captivated him so much, she was certainly good looking but she wasn't like any of the girls he had been with before.

Jace always went for bimbo's, even he could admit that. They were always fake. Fake tan. Fake boobs. Fake face. Fake.

Jace watched as Sebastian spun Clary to the dance floor, holding her hips and they sashayed to the music. Jace's hand tightened on his glass, though it had no right to, Clary wasn't his so he shouldn't want to go over there and rip Sebastian's head off.

Besides, killing Sebastian would only result in paperwork for him and having to find another agent that was as good as him.

"Could you be any more obvious?" Simon said and Jace turned to him.

"About what?" He asked coyly.

"The fact that you are clearly undressing Clary with your eyes."

"I am _not_ undressing her, I am merely admiring a piece of art, do _you_ have a problem with that?"

Simon sighed, it seemed exasperated.

"Didn't think so." Jace continued to sip on his scotch and ordered another one. Jace couldn't help himself as his eyes moved back to Clary. She looked so stunning, Jace had to stare, so did a few other men he noticed.

How _dare_ they, Clary was not something to be ogled, Clary was the kind of woman you brought home to meet your parents and took on romantic walks and candlelit dinners and married.

Jace never wanted those things, not now; he was one of the most eligible bachelors of New York City, all the women wanted him, although he only wanted a night from them himself, sometimes he went back for more.

Jace's thoughts suddenly dissipated as Clary looked up at him, her green eyes seeing him like no one else. He sometimes got the impression that Clary saw past hid bravado, his mask, and saw him for who he was, not who he was known as. Sometimes, he just wanted to talk to Clary, he never wanted to talk to a girl before, well not a serious chat anyway. He had lay in bed, contemplating whether or not he should go to her and open up his heart, though he never would.

"Go on," Simon urged him, taking his scotch away. "Ask her to dance." Simon gave Jace a small push. Jace stood for a moment, just looking at Clary; she had gone back to talking to Sebastian.

_Now or never Wayland, move it!_

Jace moved forward, not taking his eyes off of her, already imagining what it would be like to hold Clary in his arms, to feel her body against his, to have his hands roam over her and to press his lips against her—

"Hello handsome." Jace was brought out of his thoughts by a sultry voice and a hand trailing down his chest.

_Kaelie._

"Hi, look I—" She pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him.

"You are going to dance with me." It was a demand. Jace looked into her blue eyes and saw that there was promise there, he almost gave in, almost let her take him. _Almost_. He moved his gaze for a second, but that was all it took to see the piercing green.

_Now or never._

"No, I'm going to dance with her." Jace pointed to Clary and moved away from Kaelie, who was staring at him with wide eyes and her mouth open.

Jace walked up behind Clary, she was listening to Sebastian and even Jace knew she was bored. This was his opportunity.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I promised this young lady a dance." Clary looked at him, a smile in her eyes and before she or Sebastian could reply, he took her hand pulling her to the dance floor as a slower song began to play. Jace placed his hands on her hips as she wrapped hers around his neck. Jace looked into her eyes and seemed to be trapped there, her gaze was so intense and so beautiful, Jace didn't want to look away. They moved in perfect synch with each other, Clary swaying her hips and Jace following her movements.

"Well, looks like you lived up to your promised." She grinned at him and Jace felt a strange sense of relief, relief that he made her smile like that, not Sebastian he also felt satisfaction, for the same reason and also, Clary never looked at anyone else that was staring, she only had eyes for him.

Jace knew this was bad, but at this moment, with Clary in his arms, he didn't care.

"I am a man of my word, remember that." He winked at her and saw her cheeks go slightly pink.

They danced for a few songs, to Jace it was not enough time. He felt strange with Clary in his arms, like somehow, without her there, the world was a cold place one where he was all alone but with her in his arms, looking at him, smiling at him, he felt whole, complete. Jace knew he was treading in dangerous waters, but he did not care, not right now. Clary was all he cared about in that moment and looking into her eyes Jace could only feel—hell he _hoped_—that she felt the same.

"Clary?" Jace began speaking softly. Clary looked at him with innocence and small hint of desire that nearly unhinged him.

"Yes Jace?" She answered his question with another, inconspicuously moving her body closer to his. He was so consumed by her, all of her.

"I was just wondering...if..." Jace trailed off in a breath. He was so confused, he had never been this nervous or kind to a woman he desired before, of course he wasn't a total dick to them, but he always made his point clear. He wanted them in his bed and then to leave, most women got that message.

But Clary was different.

He had made no moves towards her that would suggest that he wanted sex from her; instead, the only moves he made towards Clary were to ensure she had a future, one that didn't involve going back to the streets.

"You were wondering what?" She asked and her eyes gleamed.

In that moment, Jace knew there would be no going back, if he leaned forward, only slightly, his lips would touch Clary's and with the way she was looking at him, if they were to kiss, more would come from it and Jace just could not let that happen.

With a great effort, he released Clary and gave her a coy smile.

"You're a great dancer Fray." He winked at her and then stupidly added. "We'll have to do it again sometime." With that, Jace skulked off, back to the bar, where Simon was still standing. The bar tender saw him coming and immediately poured him a scotch.

Jace sat on the stool, ignoring Simon's stares and the feeling he got that there was a green eyes gaze focused on him.

"You've got it bad."

Jace wanted to deny it, he wanted to scream and shout like a child that he had absolutely no feelings for Clarissa Fray, no romantic feelings anyway, but he couldn't bring himself to deny it, very rarely did Jace ever lie, he lied when it was part of a joke and sometimes, to protect people he cared about. He could not say any of that to Simon, Simon knew him too well, he knew when he lied, so Jace could only muster something that, had Simon not known Jace so well, would have told his feelings.

"Shut up Lewis."

* * *

Clary was in a daze. She had been dancing with Jace for quite a while and wondered what had gotten into her, she had imagined kissing him and when she looked at him, it seemed as if he was imagining kissing her aswell but then he just shoved her away.

The rejection hurt more than anything else.

Clary had been holding Jace in an angelic light, like he was the most brilliant person in the universe, but she was wrong. She had deluded herself into thinking that Jace cared about her, more than one should care about their friend or co-worker, but if tonight was any indication, Jace had no interest in her whatsoever. Clary decided it was time to give up on her delusions, to start seeing a normal boy who didn't beat around the bush. Like Sebastian.

Sebastian had made it clear that he had a great interest in Clary. He had been talking to her all night about the date's he would take her on and the things he would show her. She was flattered, but there was only ever one thought in her head as he spoke, only one person she saw when he was in front of her.

Jace Wayland.

She had to get him out of her head, she had to get away from him, but it was impossible, she lived _and_ worked with him, she could not escape him and the fact that she would have to act as if everything was alright when he was flirting outrageously with every female he could, she knew that her heart would pine for him.

She had known him a month and he had wriggled his way into her system, into her head, her heart and everywhere she looked it was always _him_.

But enough was enough, she needed this fantasy of Jace being her knight in shining armour to end, she deserved better than him and she knew it. Sebastian may not make her shiver just by looking at her a certain way, but he was certainly what she had always hoped she would find.

Someone kind, sweet, handsome and caring.

She began to walk over to him when suddenly an iron grip seized her arm, pulling her from the throngs of people gyrating to the music. She could not see who grabbed her, but saw that they were leading her to a dark secluded corner, out of sight and sound of anyone around them. When they finally arrived, Clary looked up and saw a man, possibly over twenty years her senior, looking down at her.

He had greying brown hair and blue eyes that seemed to intense. His glasses were low on his nose and he was dressed rather casually.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, pulling on her arm, that grip stayed.

"Clarissa? Clarissa Fairchild?" He asked, looking shocked.

"Clarissa _Fray_, what do you think you are doing? Who are you and what do you want?" Clary was getting testy, she had just had an ultimatum about men and now someone older than her had grabbed her and taken her away.

Only her luck.

"Clarissa, I know who you are, I knew your parents." The man said but Clary didn't bite.

"That's great but who are _you_?"

"My name is Luke Garroway."

* * *

**Author's note:**

_Bum-bum-bum!_

_Revelations are coming. _

_If you want a teaser, follow my tumblr, link is on my profile. _

_The plot is about to thicken._

_Review?_

_X _


	10. Who am I?

**Author's Note:**

_Well, I assume you are all dying to know what Luke is doing there; well I am going to tell you..._

_If you keep reading _

_Remember, Tumblr, especially because you guys are going to love chapter seventeen and I will reveal why...at the end of this chapter._

_Review?_

_X_

* * *

"Where is she?" Sebastian seethed. He claimed that Clary had gone missing as soon as she stopped dancing with Jace, as if he were responsible for hiding her. Jace was just annoyed, his expression and tone said as much.

"I don't know, maybe she didn't like you, maybe she found something better." Jace was quite irritable, Simon noticed, since he stopped dancing with Clary, he wondered what it was about the little red head that got him so wound up. Sure, she was pretty, though Simon certainly didn't think of her that way; Isabelle was the only woman he wanted.

Thinking of her made his eyes unconsciously drift to his fiancé, she was undeniably beautiful. Whenever Simon took her to work events, Isabelle always wore the best dress from her collection, trying to prove how talented she was with all the big investors, Simon had once worried that she was using him for his connections and money, when he brought it up; he earned a stiletto to the head and a night on the couch.

He stopped mentioning it after that.

Looking at her now, Simon knew that she spared no expense in making this dress, though there were no investors here; she was still showing off her talents. The dress she wore was from her original formalwear collection was made of silk and was not too revealing or short, it was a deep red and came to her knee's. Simon smiled inwardly as he watched his fiancé work the room. She was so beautiful and elegant; he didn't know why she was with him.

But he didn't care; he knew she wasn't using him for money and that she loved him for who _he_ was, as he loved her for _her_ not how hot she was.

Isabelle made her way over to him, he smile radiant.

"Oh Si," She sighed adjusting his neck tie. "What am I ever going to do with you when my fashion show comes around; I am a designer who can't even get her fiancé to keep his tie straight." She poked his nose and crinkled hers.

"I will wear a clip on." He replied confidently, seeing her look of horror, he laughed. "You have to stop worrying; the last thing they will be looking at is me. Not with you in the room."

"How do you _always_ know what to say?"

"You leave your romance books lying around and your 'Men are from mars, women are from Venus' type books." She glared at him.

"I do not own any of those books, I read fashion magazines!" She protested.

"Silly me, they must have been mine." Isabelle shook her head.

"No, those were mine from our last margarita night."

Magnus Bane appeared before him, wearing a bright lime green suit and his black hair in spikes with glitter through it, his nails, Simon noted, were also sparkling.

Alec Lightwood, Isabelle's brother, also materialised, looking shocked at Magnus's confession. The two had been together for a few years now and owned their own law firm; Alec was the lawyer that was specifically assigned to Wayland Corp.

All of them, Jace, Simon, Izzy, Alec and Magnus had known each other for years, they had gone through a lot together and Simon was glad that they were all still so close, they had all found love, a part from Jace, although he was sure that would be changing soon.

Simon looked over at the blonde boy, who was downing another glass of scotch and scanning the crowd, no doubt looking for the little red head that so captivated.

Simon wondered if anyone else noticed it, noticed the way Jace looked at Clary, noticed how different he was around her, the way he had yelled at her that night seemed out of the ordinary, Jace rarely yelled and when he did, he did only to those he cared about. Simon was about to voice his assumption to the group when Jace straightened, his attention focused on something at the back of the club, his posture rigid.

Clary had appeared with some older guy, he was telling her something, but Simon could see from her expression that she was shocked. He wondered what this man was telling her and wondered if he should intervene, but that was ridiculous, Clary could take care of herself, he was sure of it.

But that was not what had made Jace go stiff and his expression go dark, no. Just as Clary was walking towards them, Sebastian appeared, grabbing her around the waist and then crushing his lips to her.

So Simon was right, Jace did care about Clary, but it seemed as if she were either oblivious or she didn't feel the same way.

* * *

Clary was in a daze. She couldn't register anything. Luke Garroway had known her parents, _her parents,_ the one's that had abandoned her, left her, but all of that wasn't true, she knew now, why she had been left at an orphanage, she knew.

She just couldn't understand nor grasp it.

Clary walked back into the open and Luke caught up with her, whispering something only she could hear, it made her go still, her face registering shock.

_What was that supposed to mean?_

Clary looked up and saw Jace still sitting at the bar, perhaps she could confide in him, he was staring at her, obviously he had been looking for her, but then she remembered, moments before Luke had pulled her away she had had an ultimatum to not involve Jace in her life, to move on and away from him. She was going to give Sebastian a real chance, he obviously liked her. Clary shifted her gaze and saw Simon, his brown eyes focused on her as if he were studying an interesting painting.

Clary didn't know Simon all that well, but she could tell, just from studying him, that it was possible to confide in him, but Isabelle seemed very protective over him and Clary felt that if she were to go over to him, pull him aside and tell him such a thing, Isabelle would stab her with a stiletto, grab Simon's junk and declare it as her's.

Clary was contemplating all of this, thinking that it would be easier if she just kept it to herself when strong hands grabbed her waist and soft lips were pressed hard against her's. Clary was shocked at first, her eyes adjusting and then seeing it was Sebastian.

Though she had thought, only moments before, that she was going to give him a fair chance, the abruptness of this was just too much, and so Clary playful swatted his chest and pulled back. Sebastian grinned down at her.

"Sorry, I have just been waiting to do that all night and then I lost you, I thought he had left." He grinned sheepishly and Clary's anger fizzled.

_How can I stay mad at someone like this?_

Clary thought this while looking into Sebastian's dark eyes and that's when she realised. She felt nothing for this boy.

Clary had been imagining that Sebastian was Jace, why, she didn't know, she had known Jace for little under two months now and he had always had a blasé attitude when it came to her and maybe that was why she was so attracted to him, because he was such an ass.

She internally groaned.

Here, standing before her was a well adjusted nice, handsome guy who was interested in her and all she could think about was that _damn_ Jace Wayland, with his panty wetting smile and the way he could just give you are particular look and have you screaming his name in an orgasmic cloud of ecstasy, Clary wondered how his skin would feel against hers, his naked flesh press down on her, his hardness, the perfect size, at her opening as his tongue—

_Whoa_.

Clary felt her cheeks flame and Sebastian smiled, seeming to think it had something to do with what he was saying to her rather than what their boss was doing to her in fantasy land.

"Look Sebastian," She cut off whatever he was blabbering about and got right to it. "I really like you, I think you're so sweet, but I'm not ready for a relationship right now, maybe in the future, but for now I'm just trying to sort out my life, is that okay?" Why was she asking him if it was okay for her to make her own choices? Clary didn't know, but she didn't want to break his heart.

All he did was nod and walk off into the crowd. Clary blew out a sigh and looked to where she had seen Simon and saw him in a group, Jace was there too, openly staring at her. Clary figured she may aswell tell him, he had connections and he knew the person she had to see.

Clary was walking over to them when a pair of blue eyes stopped her, right near the entrance to the club. She remembered how those eyes had looked as they told her something she would rather not have known.

"_I knew your parents Clarissa—"_

"_Clary." She cut him off again; seriously how hard was it to get a __**name**__ right?_

"_Clary. I knew them, I was best friends with your mother, she would never have done this to you Clary." _

"_Oh yeah, then why did she?" _

"_She didn't Clarissa." _

_Clary didn't bother correcting her name. She was so angry. Who did this man think he was telling her all of these lies? She just wanted to hit him._

"_Then where is she?" She seethed. _

"_Clarissa—"_

"_Why didn't she come and find me?" _

"_Because, she's dead."_

Clary reached the group and they looked up at her approach.

"Oh look, it's our own little pixie." Clary blinked at Magnus.

_Pixie?_

"Hey Clary, who was that?" Simon asked pointing in the direction Clary had just come from talking to Luke.

"Oh," This was it; she could tell them or do this alone. "He thought I was someone else." She smiled as normally as she could but it was obviously forced and strained.

"Clary—" Jace began but she waved his protests off.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Luke hadn't just told her that her mother was dead and that she would have never abandoned Clary, no, he had come back after she began to leave and whispered something that, until this moment she hadn't realised, made her insides cold.

Something about her father.

"_The answer is at Morgenstern Corp."_

* * *

**Author's note:**

HOLY FJWSBNJWEFGWE!

So, wow, how was it?

Oh and to answer the question from the above Author's Note, chapter seventeen contains the one and only lemon for this fic...but between who? :O

For teasers, snippets, random shit, Tumblr!

Address on profile.

Review?

X


	11. I know you

**Author's Note:**

_Hello._

_So, how was that chapter? Like it? Did it leave you wanting more?_

_Well, discoveries are coming :O And don't forget to look out for chapter fifteen, I believe and don't forget to check out my Tumblr!_

_On with the chapter! _

_Review?_

_X_

* * *

Clary had never been more nervous.

Not on adoption day at the orphanage, not when she lost her virginity, not when she slept on the streets and wondered if she would survive and not when she had met Jace. No, Clary had never been nervous before and if she had been, it was never like this.

She looked up at the opposing skyscraper, its windows shiny and clear, and breathed in, walking through the revolving door, turning around with it until she got to the inside of the building and then walking back out.

She approached the directory to find the level she was supposed to stop at and gulped when she saw the black letters spelling out her fate.

_**Level 45 **_

_**Morgenstern Corp – Head offices**_

_**CEO Valentine Morgenstern**_

Clary walked to the elevators, pushing the up arrow and stepping in when it arrived, hitting the glowing number of her destination and leaning back against the wall, trying not to sweat her makeup off.

She wondered why she had come here, why she had listened to Luke in the first place, she didn't know him, he could be a raving lunatic for all she knew, but something about his eyes made her trust him. She had no idea if what he said was true though, she thought that maybe, just maybe it was, and in this building was the one person Clary wanted—_needed_—to meet. She did wonder though, she had met Jonathan Morgenstern and he had not looked anything like her, but then again, Clary had no idea what her parents looked like.

The elevator dinged and Clary gulped, hesitating. She didn't have to do this, she could press the lobby button and leave, no harm done although then she would never know, never know anything about this man.

Her father.

Clary still couldn't wrap her head around it. She had a father; somewhere here was the man who was supposed to have raised her.

Did he not know she existed? Did he give her up because he was broke and wanted her to have a better life and that steered him towards this future?

Clary could think of all the loving reasons he would let his daughter go, if not for the fact that he kept his son.

The only thing she could think was that either her mother had taken her and died; leaving no records of her father _or_ her father hated her and gave her up. She hoped for the former.

She stepped out of the elevator, looking at the reception desk in front of her, her hand tightening around the envelope as she thought up her excuse.

The receptionist looked up at her approach.

"How can I help you?" She asked. Clary had been a receptionist for a couple of weeks and new that the sweetness of her voice and smile was all for sure. This woman would no doubt go home, kick her shoes off and never smile again until she was back behind her desk.

"I have an important delivery for Valentine Morgenstern." Clary voice was steady, not shaken or anxious like she felt.

"I'll just take that and make sure he gets it." She held her hand out but Clary shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I have instructions from my boss to _hand_ deliver it to him." The receptionist gave her a doubtful look. "My boss, Jace _Wayland_." She emphasised the last word.

Wayland and Morgenstern were rivals and anything to do with the other went straight to the CEO. Clary knew from experience and if there was someone from the other company, here to deliver a message, the CEO had to speak with them as they could be a potential new employee.

"Just one moment." The receptionist, Alice, Clary saw from her name tag, picked up her phone and punched in a number and spoke softly.

"He'll be right with you and told me to place you into one of our board rooms." Clary smiled and followed Alice into a room, taking a seat and twiddling her thumbs.

Clary looked around the room, wood and glass, mahogany and leather. It was sophisticated, elegant. It was an exact replica of one of the rooms and Wayland. Clary shook her head in disgust.

She heard the door open and instantly stiffened. A man sat in the seat opposite her and Clary knew then that he was most definitely Jonathan's father.

The man projected a regal air and it seemed that in his stance and expression that he knew he _needed_ to be in charge, because anyone else would fuck up. His hair was stark white and his eyes as black as coal. He had a lined face that seemed to have never smiled. He looked sinister, as if he could snap you in two like a twig.

Clary was rethinking her plan.

"So, I am told you have something for me from Wayland, is that correct?" Clary was _shaking_, this man made her completely nervous. She didn't know why.

"Yes." She handed him the envelope that contained the new figures for Wayland, they were well ahead of Morgenstern. Also, Clary tweaked them a tad, just to gain his trust.

He looked down at the numbers, scrutinizing them and it seemed, for a second, he doubted their reliability. Then he looked up and smiled, Clary felt cold inside.

"Well, these _are_ interesting but please tell me, why are you bringing this to me?" He assessed her from head to toe and had she not been paying close attention, Clary would have missed the small jump of muscle at his jaw.

He recognised something in her, maybe something about her mother. Eye and hair colour, stature, anything.

"Well, I am hoping to broaden my horizons. I have worked for Wayland for a short time, but I wish to begin working for a much more _advanced_ company."

"Interesting. Most girls your age would jump at the chance to work alongside Jace Wayland." His name was said in a sneer.

"Most girls, but not me." Clary tried to see what he was getting at. When he spoke again, she wished she hadn't come at all.

"It's strange that you give me these numbers, when someone else, someone higher up than you I imagine, sent me some numbers this morning that are slightly different. Now, this person has been sending me numbers for a few years now and has never steered me wrong but _you_ have just appeared and hand me this, which I must say, seems quite farfetched. Now tell me, who do you think is lying?"

Clary froze. His eyes seemed to get blacker, if that was possible, his tone changed and seemed to be as cold as ice. Clary tried not to shake, tried not to show any discomfort or nervousness.

She stood and put on a bold face.

"Well thank you for meeting with me. That was all I needed to know."

She had decided to pretend she had come to discover if there was a rat a Wayland.

He laughed, cruelly.

"You don't really think you are fooling me do you? Let me tell you something, my company has been here as long as Wayland, and it will be here long after that company comes crashing down, do you understand me?" His tone was clear with threat.

"You are quite a dreamer, aren't you." Clary opened the door and began leaving, she pushed down on the elevator panel, wishing she didn't have to wait for it. When the door opened she sagged with relief, stepping in and pressing the button for the lobby. The doors began to close when a hand stopped them and Valentine Morgenstern stood in the way.

"I don't know who you are and I don't care, although you remind me of someone I knew, I hope you are not as idiotic as she was. Sticking her nose in where it didn't belong. I hope, that I never see you in my building again. Are we clear?"

Clary, in a sudden act of boldness, stepped forward.

"Crystal."

The doors closed and Clary was left alone, the image of Valentine's shocked face engraved on her mind.

* * *

Clary was at Wayland Manor, trying to calm herself.

She knocked on the study door and waited for an answer. She realised that she probably should have been more dressed instead of being in her pyjamas. Shorts and a tank top didn't exactly spell bravery.

"Come in."

Clary opened the door and nearly groaned. She was hoping that Jace was along, but to her annoyance, Isabelle, Simon, Alec and Magnus were all her. Clary was going to turn around and leave but decided she would never work up the courage to do this again.

"Clary," Jace said exasperated. "I was just about to talk about you. Something interesting came to my attention today. Do you know what that was?" Jace had anger in his golden eyes.

Clary looked at everyone's faces. They knew where she had been and they were about to find out why.

"Yes, I know." Clary felt them a second before they feel. Hot tears spilling down her cheeks. Clary wiped them away hastily. Jace seemed to take this as a sign that she was trying to apologise for her betrayal.

"Well, where were you today?"

"Morgenstern Corp."

"Clary why?" Isabelle asked disbelieving.

"I was looking into—"

"You were giving him my numbers!" Jace yelled, standing and clenching his fists."

"No, I gave him fake numbers! Someone else gave him your numbers!"

Clary was getting defensive. Did he really think that she would do this to him? After everything he had done for her? Did he really think she _could_?

"Bullshit Clary! What the fuck is wrong with you? I have given you a home, food, a job and money and _this_ is how you repay me? Well, I hope your new boss is as giving as me or else, in short terms, your fucked sweetheart."

Clary walked up to him and slapped him across the face. He rocked on his heels and glared down at her.

"What the fuck is wrong with me? I don't know, I was left at an orphanage at, who knows _what_ age! The one person that I trusted most to help me now thinks I am a traitor and just to add the cherry on top of the sundae, I discovered that my mother is dead and my father gave me up!" Clary was angry. She had never felt such raw anger like this. Tears continued to spill. She pointed at Jace. "Where do you get off accusing me of this? I know all about Valentine Morgenstern and know something about him that you don't! I would never, even if I was still without a home, work for the man! You ignorant, idiotic, conclusion jumping too son of a bitch!" She prepared another slap when Jace grabbed her wrist. His grip was tight and solid. It hurt, but Clary enjoyed it.

"You...You know who you're parents her? When did you find out? Why didn't you tell me?"

Clary opened her mouth in shock.

"I was coming in here to tell you everything, until you accused me of this! God! Why can't you ever just trust someone? Do you really think I am that ungrateful?" Clary pulled at her wrist but Jace didn't let go. "I found out from that guy I was with at the party, his name is Luke, he knew my parents and told me who they were and if you looked you would know who they are too!"

"How would I know something like that?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe because they were right in front of you the whole time!"

"Clary, who? Who were your parents."

Clary looked into his eyes, forgetting everyone else in the room and breathed in to calm her.

"I went to Morgenstern today to see if what Luke told me was true."

"Was it?" He asked softly, still holding her wrist, but loosening his grip.

"It was. Valentine Morgenstern is my father."

* * *

**Author's note:**

_How did Clary come to that conclusion?_

_Find out next time on From Ragged to Golden._

_Don't forget to check out my Tumblr, I post more than Just FanFic stuff on there._

_Review?_

_**Question:**__ Who do you think the lemon is going to be between in an upcoming chapter? Who do you __**want**__ it to be between?_

_X_


	12. Climbing the ladder

**Author's Note:**

_Hello again._

_Did you all enjoy that? _

_Hopefully you did, so here is the next chapter! Enjoy!_

_I can tell you that there are now 14 chapters to go until this is complete :)_

_Oh and a teaser at the bottom Author's note for the upcoming Lemon chapter :)_

_Review?_

_Xox_

* * *

"Here is where you will be."

Clary looked around the office. It was huge, she didn't need this much space, but Jace had insisted.

Clary had come clean about everything; she had told them all about her encounter with Valentine Morgenstern and how she had come to the conclusion that he was her father. Luke had told her it was so, but she still had had doubts and when she went there, she knew who he was, the way he had looked at her, in recognition and distaste, she knew he knew exactly who she was but, hopefully, he didn't think that she knew who she was. So Jace had decided to keep Clary close to him, it would really annoy her father to see his daughter always near Jace, his arch enemy.

He had promoted her.

Well, not really promoted her, he had made a brand new position on gave it to Clary. She was his Personal Secretary which meant that she would be doing all of his filing and emailing and taking his calls, just his and Aline and the new secretary Jace had hired, will be doing all the filing and answering and emailing for the company. It also meant that Clary now had an office within Jace's. There were tall double doors separating them and Clary decided that she would be taking lunch when Jace did in order to get away from his and Kaelie's 'afternoon antics'.

Kaelie was not happy with Clary's promotion and voiced it to Jace, not knowing Clary was listening.

"Jace, you really don't have to do this, honestly, I was fine where I was." She said looking at him. He sat on her desk; the picture of ease, Clary could imagine that they hadn't almost kissed twice. Or was it three times? She didn't know it was hard to keep track of. Whenever Jace got close, Clary lost all coherent thought.

"Clary," He said, shaking his head. "Don't argue. Enjoy your new position and your office and don't worry about peaking," he winked. "I don't mind." He left the office and Clary shook her head.

He was so conceited.

Clary couldn't help herself though; Jace had positioned her desk so that she could see into his office and see his desk, though it wasn't facing her. Her eyes had a mind of their own as they watched Jace's ass as he walked away.

_That is one muscular butt. _

Clary shook herself, cleared her throat and fiddled with some papers. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, she supposed she should file the loose papers into a folder and then put them into their correct filing cabinet and then, get maybe she was supposed to send out emails?

"Hey Clary," Jace's voice came over the intercom on her phone, causing Clary to jump. "There is something I want you to do for me."

"Jeez Jace, you're ten steps away, you could have just come in here and told me."

She heard him laugh and a few seconds later he was sitting on the corner of her desk.

"What do you want me to do Jace?"

"Look up the orphanage you came from." He said simply, giving her a careful look.

"What? Why?" Clary was disbelieving, why would he want her to do this?

"Just do it and email me the site once your done." He got up and left then, Clary staring after him in disbelief.

* * *

Clary was staring at her computer screen, at the pictures of the place of her nightmares.

It looked the same. A old house made of weatherboard and painted white, windows clean and clear, the only thing out of place was the smiling children lined up out the front of the door.

No children could ever be happy there.

She clicked on the bio link of the 'Idris Orphanage' and there she was. Mrs Vonness, the head mistress of Idris. She looked the same as she did when Clary had been kicked out at sixteen. Her gray hair up in a severe bun, her face haggard and wrinkled, her mouth thin and a clean crisp suit. She only looked like this for pictures or adoption days.

Clary didn't know how long she stared at the photo of the woman who had made her life hell. It wasn't until she felt a tap on her shoulder that she was aware she _had _been staring.

"Oh, Simon, er, I mean Mr. Lewis. Sorry, what can I do for you?" She asked, gaining back her composure.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly looking down at her with caring brown eyes behind stylish glasses.

"Fine, why do you ask?"

"You've been crying."

Clary lifted her fingers and felt her cheek. There were the tell tale signs of tears there. Damn, she had to stop crying so much.

"Oh, it's nothing." She waved it off but Simon had been looking at the screen of her computer.

"Idris Orphanage, I've heard about that, apparently it is terrible there, why are you looking it—wait, is _that_ the orphanage you were in?"

Clary nodded and Simon hissed, surprising her with a hug.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that Clary, I truly am."

Clary was shocked. Simon had nothing to apologise for, he hadn't known her then and hadn't been able to do something. She hugged him back though, if only for the reason that his hug was reassuring, warm and just what she needed.

"It really was awful." She said into his shoulder.

They stayed like that for quite some time and it was nice. Simon was the type of boy Clary should be thinking about, nice, genuine and friendly. The type of boy that was nice to your parents. Unlike Jace, who would probably burn them.

Speaking of Jace, a voice cleared from the doors joining to his office.

Clary and Simon separated slowly and looked over at the same time, seeing Jace standing there, gold eyes blazing.

"Oh don't let me interrupt." He said in a exaggerated tone. "You two get cosy, when your Fiancé calls Simon, what shall I tell her?"

"That you're a jackass." Simon muttered, moving a little further from Clary.

"Jace, we were just hugging, you and I have hugged before."

"_Just_ hugging?" He put his hand over his heart. "How quickly you dismiss out love."

Clary shook her head at him, annoyed more than anything.

"What is it Jace?" She asked.

"I asked you to look something up for me over an hour ago and I am still waiting for it and then I come in here to see if you are alright and find you in the arms of my friend." He seemed angry, but why would he be angry? Because Simon was hugging another woman?

"I was hardly in his arms and the only reason Simon was here _hugging_," She emphasised. With the way Jace was looking at them, Clary got the feeling he had walked in on them having sex. "Was because you asked me to look up the place that tortured me for fourteen years."

"Well, you better get your big girl pants on Clary, because if a photo really gets you upset you aren't going to like what were are doing on Friday."

"What?" Clary asked cautiously and an irrational thought passed through her mind.

_Having mindless amazing sex. Me orgasming so many times I can't think straight, you on top of my, thrusting. Your sweat an aphrodisiac. Your hard body, so good on top of mine—_

Clary blinked. She really had to stop fantasizing so much, but she couldn't help it. She was a woman and Jace was a man. A perfect man. A sexy man.

_A man who could no doubt do things to me I wouldn't have dreamed of._

Jace's next words made all fantasies dissipate.

"We're going to visit that place."

* * *

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Simon slammed the door to his office shut, locking it to stop intrusions.

They could have argued in Jace's office, but then Clary would have heard and been even more upset and gone to Simon for another hug.

The thought of Simon's hands on Clary irked Jace and he didn't know why. It was that foolish emotion again, thinking that Clary was his. He wanted her; he thought about her all the time, even caught himself imagining it was she, and not Kaelie, with him on his afternoon break. He even imagined Clary while he was in the shower alone.

_The things that woman does to me._

Jace looked at Simon steadily. Maybe he was angry that Simon was touching Clary because he was engaged to Isabelle, who was like a sister to Jace.

He knew he was being stupid, that wasn't it at all.

It was because Simon had touched Clary in a way that only Jace wanted to. Had comforted her, been there for her. Jace had gone to her office because she was taking a long time finding this site for him and she had been very quiet. No rustling of paper or walking around. Jace had worried and gone to check on her.

When he saw Clary and Simon he had to stop a growl from coming to the surface.

"Whatever do you mean?" Jace asked dryly, seating himself on the love seat in his partner's office.

"You know what I fucking mean!"

Jace knew that Simon was angry, he only swore when he was angry.

"Look, I am trying to help her and this is the only way to do it."

"By taking her to that _place_? To the place that she is scared of beyond anything else?"

"We all have to face our fears sometime."

"Fine, if we _have_ too, admit your feelings for Clary _to_ Clary, commit to something."

Damn. He walked right into that one.

"My feelings for Clary are strictly professional."

"Oh come off it!" Simon suddenly yelled, causing Jace to watch his friend carefully, thinking that perhaps he was going through some sort of mental break down. "I have known you for _years_ and for years I have seen you go through Girl after Girl, but not one of them have stayed in your life long enough for you to care for them. Except Clary. I can see it, I see you watching her when she is in the room. I see your face when you look at her and I see it when she looks at you. You're falling in love with her Jace! Anyone can see it. Why do you think Isabelle wants her to stay with you in your house? Why do you think Kaelie can't stand the sight of her? Because you, Jace Wayland, are falling in love with Clarissa Fray and you won't do a damn thing about it!"

Jace silently considered what his friend was saying and knew exactly what to say next.

"I don't deserve her. She deserves better than me."

"Yes you do. Look at what you have accomplished! You deserve to be happy and Clary makes you happy as for her deserving better that you, that is her choice to make, not yours. God Jace, will you open your eyes! I don't know Clary half as well as I know you, but I do know love and Clary has it just as bad for you as you have it for her."

"She shouldn't. She shouldn't think of me that way."

"Well she does. Jace, why do you keep punishing yourself? Why don't you think you deserve happiness?"

"Because I've used so many women that I don't deserve one. Not one like Clary. I deserve to be alone."

"Nobody deserves that. Stop thinking it and get your ass into that office and do something about it! Move on. Stop using women for sex and tell one that you actually like them. Is it that hard?"

Jace looked up at Simon, the boy he had known for years. His partner in business.

"Yes it is, because I'm not ready for that kind of relationship."

"No one ever is, but sometimes you just need to take the plunge."

Jace looked at the door, thinking of Clary. Her laugh, her smile, her eyes, her hair, her voice, anything and everything he had seen her do.

The first time he had laid eyes on her, thinking she was dead.

The first time they had hugged.

The times that they had almost kissed.

He realised something then, something he had been denying for far too long.

Simon was right. He was falling for Clary.

Was he ready to take the plunge?

* * *

**Author's note:**

_So, is he ready?_

_How was that? _

_Good? Bad? Asfnwkgwitnw?_

_As promised, here is a small teaser from the lemon chapter_

_**And if anyone is interested a small teaser for the upcoming chapter of 'Elegant script and blue pen' (Yes, I am still writing that one)**_

_Enjoy!_

_Review?_

_Xox_

* * *

_**Sympathy:**_

_She pressed her lips to his, her hands still on his face and brought him closer. He resisted, but even then his lips were soft._

"_I want you." She breathed. _

"_I need you." _

_She wanted him, all of him, forever._

_This was a peaceful, pleasant, bliss filled moment and she hoped that every night would be like this, that she would fall asleep in his arms. _

_She realised, as she dozed off and he kissed her forehead, that for the first time in her life, she would wake up to someone she cared about holding her. She would wake up happy. _

_She smiled as sleep took her._

* * *

_**Elegant Script and Blue pen:**_

"_Where are you going dressed like that?" He asked Clarissa, his breath heavy with the scent of alcohol. Clarissa looked down at her attire, not seeing anything wrong with it. _

"_What's wrong with it?" She asked cautiously, standing closer to Jonathan. _

_When her father drank, he drank until he couldn't see anymore and he always asked or commented on Clarissa's looks and she knew why. She looked exactly like her mother. Jonathan always came to her rescue when he started on a tirade, she was grateful to have such a loving brother._

"_It looks like you are trying to impress a man. I want to know who?" Clarissa cringed back at the look her father fave her. She hated it when he was like this. _


	13. What you need

**Author's note:**

_Hello all. _

_So, how was that? A little insight into Jace's thoughts of Clary and Simon, feeling a little protective over her. _

_I know you guys are waiting for the lemon...aren't you? But build up is important ;)_

_Anyone read CoLS yet? I have yet to finish it..._

_Vote on my new poll _

_Review?_

_X_

* * *

Clary couldn't stop wringing her fingers as they sat on her lap. She kept looking out the window, recognising little things and knowing how close they were.

She was terrified.

She hadn't been back to the orphanage since she was sixteen, when Mrs. Vonness kicked her out. The old hag, Clary hoped she rotted in hell.

"You okay?"

Clary looked over at the driver. His body fit perfectly in the seat, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on her knee, comforting her. Clary wished that hand would move further up to the button of her jeans, she hoped that hand would travel into her panties, feeling her wetness. She wore very sexy lingerie and hoped that he would see it.

"Oh for the love of god." Clary groaned and then her eyes widened when she realised that she had said that out loud.

"Clary?"

Jace was looking at her, worried and confused. She didn't blame him.

"What are you thinking about?"

_Your face between my thighs._

"Just, nervous." She smiled but she didn't think it really worked.

Why did he have to be so gold and attractive? Damn him to the fiery pits of hell!

Jace smirked and Clary kept her groan in. Sometimes, it was like he could see through her, like he knew that she was really thinking about him, naked. On his side, on top, on the bottom, against a wall, upside down...

Clary had to shake herself and stop thinking of him that way.

Jace was hot, she knew it and so did millions of other females and males for that matter and although he showed her kindness, his reputation preceded him.

He was a player.

He used women. He slept with them and sent them on their way. According to Isabelle, Kaelie was the only one to stick around, because she worked for him and was easy. Isabelle had told Clary all about Kaelie and Jace how she was his 'go to lay' and apparently he needed a lay every day. That was before Clary anyway.

Now, as Isabelle had told her, Jace didn't seem interested in anyone else. Isabelle was worried he was going to seduce Clary and add her notch to his bed and that he was enjoying the chase too much and would eventually get tired and go in for the kill.

Clary didn't believe it.

There was more than one occasion in which Clary would have gladly let Jace seduce her and take her to bed, if he really wanted that from her; he could have had it ten times over. Then Clary realised something, he wanted nearly every girl he came into contact with, he fucked them mercilessly and yet, she remained untouched.

Clary fidgeted uncomfortably as thought ran through her mind. Was she repulsive? Unattractive? Disgusting? Why didn't Jace want her like he wanted other girls? Not that Clary wanted to be another one of his conquests, but if Jace was so 'addicted' to sex, she had been living under his roof for a while now, why hadn't he come to her?

_Oh come in me or on me._

Clary put a hand to her head. Thoughts of Jace rejecting and then coming on her were giving her a headache.

"Clary, do you want to go back home?" Jace asked softly, his hand on her knee, giving her a reassuring pat. Clary decided to get right to the point; she may aswell, who knew if she would ever be alone with Jace again?

"Jace, do you think I'm pretty?"

Jace's hand froze on her knee. She looked over at him; he seemed extremely interested in the road.

"Why do you ask?" He asked in a careful tone.

The question made him uneasy, Clary wondered why.

"I just, I don't know, I don't _feel_ pretty, I feel like, gosh I don't, it's just, you—never mind." Clary looked ahead and after a few moments, Jace began to circle his thumb on her knee. It made Clary shiver and feel warm all over.

"Clary I don't think you're pretty," Clary's eyes widened in surprise and her heart constricted. "I don't think that pretty is any way to describe what you are. You're...different."

"Different how?"

"Well, most of the women I have been with have been alike in one way or another but _you_, you aren't anything like them."

Clary frowned. Was that a compliment? She had seen Kaelie and she was beautiful.

"I mean, god I sound like an ass, you aren't just something to look at, you aren't the type of girl that would make herself up to only impress men. No. You Clary are to be treasured, not used nor tossed aside and you," He sighed. "You mean a lot to me."

Clary smiled as a feeling of elatedness swelled within her. Jace had just told her she was to be treasured; he had said she was more than pretty.

_He said that I mean a lot to him._

Clary moved her hand and placed it on top of Jace's, twining her fingers with his. She looked over and met his eyes; he smiled at her and squeezed her hand once and then keeping his hand locked with hers.

"You mean a lot to me too, Jace."

Jace's smiled grew and he moved his hand so that it was no longer flat on her knee but holding hers, fingers entwined, in a fist, rubbing patterns with his thumb onto her skin.

Clary stared straight ahead, she found that she despised the thought of letting go of his hand and that thought frightened her. Her feelings for Jace frightened her.

Jace was someone she had to be careful of but then again he had done so much to her and he _meant_ so much to her. He had given her a life she could never have dreamed of and he was the first person to _really_ care about her. Clary had never had that before and she would treasure it, forever.

"Oh, Clary?"

"Mmm?"

"When I say that I don't think you're pretty, I mean it. I don't. I think you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever met."

That surprised her and what he did next surprised her even more. He raised their joined hands and kissed hers, it was soft but it was enough to make her feel like jelly.

For the rest of the trip, they barely spoke, but Clary could feel nothing but the feel of his hand in hers, the burn of his kiss and the butterflies that were flying around in her stomach, increasing whenever he looked her way.

_#####_

"Clarissa, welcome back."

Clary looked in disgust at the woman that had controlled her life for so long. Her hair was completely grey and not managed, she was missing teeth and her wrinkles were that of a lot of stern concentration—'looking' after children—and her appearance was so un-kept that Clary wondered why _anyone_ came to this orphanage.

Clary looked over at Jace. He was studying the room and the owner of the orphanage as if he was waiting for something.

"I want my file."

Mrs. Vonness grinned and let out a cackle.

"Sorry, those are confidential."

Jace straightened and came to stand right next to Clary, his arm touching her's, his fingertips ghosting her skin.

"What's this? Clarissa, finally got herself a gentlemen? Or is he just yours for the night?" Mrs Vonness asked in a tone full of mockery.

Clary was about to protest, to deny that she felt anything more than friendship for Jace, no matter what they shared in the car, when he gripped her hand tightly and smiled, looking straight at Clary's old guardian. If you could call her that.

"Actually, we are engaged."

Clary went rigid, to shocked at Jace's words to deny what he said. Mrs Vonness seemed unconvinced, looking between the two of them a sinister grin on her lips.

"I don't believe it boy, someone like you with someone like _her_? You must think me senile." She grinned at Jace appreciatively and Clary instinctively stepped closer to him, leaning towards him, not for the sake of the charade, but because of the way the vile old woman was looking at him. It repulsed Clary but made her blood boil.

_How dare she look at him like that?_

"Well, you better believe it." Jace said, giving Clary a sidelong look. He was pleased with her proximity, though it was only part of an act; he could enjoy it for a little longer.

"That file is mine; I have a right to read it." Clary seethed.

"Excuse me _Miss Fray_, but you have no such right. The files are strictly confidential and—"

"Dear me, I hope this does not put you in an awkward position Madam, but is this orphanage not for those children whose parents were utterly unfit to take care of them? Drug dealers? Homeless? That kind of thing?" Jace asked in a tone that implied that Mrs Vonness was obviously hiding something.

"It is." Mrs Vonness said looking at Jace like one would a bug. "Your point?"

Clary looked at Jace curiously, where was he going with this?

Jace caught Clary's look and addressed her.

"Idris Orphanage was developed in the fifties and open to parents who had no means to take care of their Children. Literally. It was court ordered that this orphanage only be for those cases, considering that the other orphanages were bombarded with children. So, in any case, you would have had to have parents who could not take care of you. Whether they were drug users, homeless, bankrupt, anything like that. That would be the only way you could be here."

Clary nodded. She understood what Jace was getting at and how she could get her file. She made a motion for him to continue.

"The strange this is that Clary's mother and father had all the means necessary to take care of her. They are wealthy people and also, if they could not take care of Clary then why are they allowed to keep their son? If they cannot take care of one child, surely they cannot take care of another."

Mrs Vonness had gone stark white. She looked from Clary to Jace and realised that there was no way out.

"Look, I just take in the kids alright? If the parents give me some extra money to take in their child, even though they can take care of them, who am I to judge?"

"It's funny that you should mention the word Judge."

Mrs Vonness's expression hardened at Jace's threat.

"What do you want?"

"Her file and you to clean up your act and stop treating these kids like slaves."

"The file I can give you."

"You better give me the file _and_ clean up your act if you don't want the authorities involved. I am a powerful man; I could shut this place down."

Clary looked over at Jace, his expressions steely.

Mrs Vonness considered this, although Clary already knew what they decision would be. She got a look in her eye for a mere splinter of a second, Clary couldn't decipher what the look meant but she didn't like it.

"Very well, I'll get the file."

"Oh and Mrs Vonness," Clary called as she stepped into the records room of her office. She turned around to look at Clary, who smiled sweetly. "We will conduct random inspections to make sure you are keeping up your end of the deal."

Mrs Vonness's lips thinned and her eyes were full of anger, she huffed and proceeded to step into the room.

"Nice work Clary." Jace said and she realised distantly that he still held her hand.

She didn't want to let it go until it was absolutely necessary and she hoped that it wouldn't be necessary for a long time.

_#####_

"According to this, your father, Valentine, dropped you off when you were two. Your mother had just died and he didn't want a daughter. He paid Mrs Vonness a hefty amount in order to keep you here _and_ in order to not let anyone adopt you because he was a well known man and his wife's picture was all over the newspapers, he didn't want to risk someone discovering who you are."

Clary listened to Alec as he read the file. They sat in Jace's study. Clary, Luke, Jace, Izzy, Simon, Alec and Magnus. They were trying to decide what they should do.

Luke sat next to Clary on the leather lounge, fiddling with his wallet. It wasn't until he handed her a small picture that she realised why.

It was of Luke, a much younger Luke, a small baby and a woman who looked so much like Clary she was stunned that it wasn't her.

"That's me, your mother and you." Luke said. Clary clutched the photograph to her heart and pulled it back to study the face of the mother she had never known. The mother who never would have given her up, not for anything.

"Your mother and I had been friends since elementary school. She met your father in High School and, like many, she was enamoured by him and astounded that he wanted to be with her. They married shortly after graduation and soon after that; your mother gave birth to your brother, Jonathan. She was nineteen, married and with a child. Then, when she was twenty one she discovered that she was pregnant again, your brother and she had you. At that point she was in the middle of her divorce with your father and when she told him he didn't care, said he only wanted a son. Your mother and I began seeing each other, I had loved her for many years and when she went to Valentine's to drop off you and Jonathan they got into a massive fight and on her way back she...she lost control of her car and hit a tree. She died at the hospital; I was there when it happened. After that there was the battle of who the Children would go to. Their father or the person stated in your mother's will. The court ruled in favour of your father."

Clary's eyes were swimming with unshed tears; she blinked and felt them trickle down her face. She was distantly aware that everyone was watching them, but found herself not caring.

"Who was," she cleared her throat, her voice had come out small and rough. "Who was the person in the will that my mother wanted Jonathan and I to go to?"

"Me."

Clary looked over at Luke and saw the grief in his eyes. He really had loved her mother, she could see it. Just talking about her had caused emotion to stir in his blue eyes and his face creased with sadness. Clary put her arm around his shoulder and pulled herself closer.

"I'm sorry Clarissa." Luke said, looking at her, guilt clear in his face.

"For what?"

"For not fighting harder. For not being able to find you after your father gave you away."

Clary moved her arm and took his hand instead.

"It wasn't your fault, you didn't know—"

"I did know. I had gone to his—to _Valentine's_—home to collect your mother's things, things he didn't want and I saw Jonathan but not you. I demanded to see you and he told me you weren't coming back, he had sent you away and I had demanded to know why and he said—" Luke cut himself off with a wary look at everyone in the room, they were all listening, sitting closer, wanting to know about Clary's past as much as she did.

"What did he say?" Clary asked. Jace had come to sit on the arm of the lounge behind her and, invisible to everyone else in the room, had his hand on her lower back, rubbing soft circles. Clary revelled in the feeling.

"He said 'I didn't want another reminder of that bitch in my home'."

Clary's eyes widened, Jace's hand froze on her back and every seemed to be looking at her.

Clary looked around the room, everyone seemed to be waiting for her to say something but she had nothing to say. Clary didn't know this man—her _father_—and she didn't want to know him, but she couldn't let the memory of her mother wanting her and her father getting rid of her go. She couldn't let the thoughts of the life she could have had go.

"I don't know what to do." She finally settled on saying.

"I do," Luke said softly.

"What?"

Luke opened the bag he had brought with him and pulled out a manila folder—taped shut, handing it to her. On the front in black marker it read '**Do not open until you have decided**_**'.**_

"Decided what?" Jace asked, reading the title over her shoulder, his hand still on the small of her back.

"To do the only thing she can do and the contents of this folder will help her with that."

"What is it?" Clary asked.

"To sue Valentine Morgenstern."

Clary flinched. She couldn't do that. Valentine was powerful and rich; he could crush her like a bug.

Luke but the folder down and held her hands, looking into her eyes.

"I know it's scary Clarissa, but you _need_ to do this."

"Why?"

"To show the world who you are. To let them know that you are not afraid. To show them that you deserve the life that was stolen from you."

Clary was shocked when she looked at everyone else's face. They seemed to agree with Luke. Even Jace, who was watching her carefully, didn't object. She had no doubt that they would help her, no doubt that Jace would get her the best legal team he could, but she was terrified. To face her father, to have everyone know who she was and how she had lived, she didn't know if she could do that.

Clary looked back and Jace, trying to converse with him silently.

Her eyes said; _I can't decide this right now._

His eyes replied; _do you want to go somewhere and be alone?_

Her eyes agreed and then added; _I want to talk to you._

His eyes agreed and he stood.

"Clary doesn't need to decide what she wants to do right now. It is a big decision, why don't we let her sleep on it. Come on Clary," he gestured for her to stand and walk towards the door. "I'll walk you to your room."

Everyone seemed stunned, but not because of Jace's words.

His actions spoke volumes. The way he had his arm around Clary, not touching, the look in his eyes and the tone in which he had used.

Jace was protecting her, taking care of her. He was putting her needs first.

He was showing them that he cared about Clary and they had never seen him do anything like that before.

* * *

_So how was it? Enjoyable? _

_I put in a little Clary and Jace romance for you and I __**know**__ you will love the next chapter if you are waiting for Jace and Clary to share feelings. _

_Trust me, I have already written it._

_Don't forget, links for outfits are on my profile, my tumblr and my poll._

_Review?_

_Xox _


	14. Sympathy

**Author's Note:**

_Hello!_

_So, here we go again and Ummm, I think you will enjoy this chapter :)_

_Review?_

_Xox_

* * *

Clary sat down on the bed, it was extremely comfy, she could imagine it being a King's bed. She sighed as she ran her hand along the soft sheets and gazed around the room, surprised to find it so bare. The walls were white with gold lining the edges. There was nothing out of place and no dust anywhere. She looked at the owner of the room.

_Neat freak_, she thought.

"Drink?" Jace asked, pouring some brown liquid from a decanter, Clary nodded, she need something to help her relax after what Luke had just said. He handed her the glass and Clary gulped it down in one swallow. The alcohol burned in her throat but warmed in her belly.

Jace set the glasses down and sat next to her, placing his hand comfortingly on her knee.

"Clary, I'm sorry that this all happened to you. You had a really tough life and now you are finding all of this out? I have no idea what you're going through, but I'm here if you need me."

Clary looked into his eyes. They were luminous, golden and transfixing. She really soaked Jace in. His tousled-on-purpose golden halo of hair, his perfectly sculpted face, angular and tanned, his dazzling smile with one of his teeth chipped that showed even the most beautiful of things had flaws. His leanly muscled body, working perfectly with him. He knew how to carry himself. His delicate fingers, long and elegent.

He was so beautiful it hurt. She reached out a hand and traced his cheek bone delicately.

"Clary," Jace said, a little breathily. "What are you doing?"

Clary continued tracing his face, not saying anything. She got to his lips, his soft and shapely lips, she wanted nothing more than to press hers against them and feel them all over her. She leant forward, slowly, swallowing the emotion filled lump in her throat.

She pressed her lips to his, her hands still on his face and brought him closer. Jace resisted, but even then his lips were soft. He pushed her back and looked into her eyes, his seemed to glow.

"Clary, what are you doing?" He asked again and this time she answered.

"I just wanted to forget, for a moment, just forget everything."

"Clary..."

"Please Jace; you said you would help me. Please, help me forget."

He seemed to fight with himself and Clary had just about given up, thrown in the towel and left the room, when he came back, his lips crashing against hers with such a force she knew they would be swollen.

He gripped her hair—which was up in a ponytail—tightly, pulling slightly, and Clary tangled her hands in his golden locks. She leaned back and Jace went with her, lying on top of her.

The feel of him against her was amazing, but she wanted—no _needed_—to feel more. She separated from Jace, stopping the kiss. He looked down at her, his eyes filled with desire.

"Jace, I want you." Clary breathed.

"Clary, I need you."

His lips were on hers again and they knew there would be no going back.

Clary undid the buttons of his shirt, running her hands across his supple body. Jace discarded his shirt and lifted the hem of her's. Clary moved so that they were both sitting up. Jace lifted the shirt over her head and began to remove her jeans. Clary was now clad in her bra and panties.

Jace moved his lips down her jaw and along her neck; Clary felt a fire build up inside of her.

"Jace," she said breathily unable to finish her sentence. Jace knew exactly where to touch her. His lips were pressed against the side of her neck, putting a light as a feather pressure along her jugular and his fingertips trailed down her sides, causing a delicious shiver to go through her.

Clary couldn't form thoughts anymore; she couldn't speak and felt as if she would stop breathing at any moment. She didn't know what to do with her hands, she had never been with someone like Jace, someone who was taking care of her needs instead of paying her to get his needs met. Clary reached up and grabbed his hair tightly, a strangled moan escaped her.

Through the hazy cloud that had taken over her thoughts, one thing was clear. Clary and Jace were in dangerous territory, if they kept going there was no turning back. That thought took over and made Clary pull back away from Jace.

"Jace, wait." He blinked at her, his eyes overcome with a lustfulness that made Clary's loins clench and her thoughts almost evaporate. She stood and moved to the wall, putting some distance between them. He stood, tilting his head. Clary looked him up and down, noticing the bulge in his pants. This angel wanted her, she saw it in his eyes and she wanted him, she had wanted him since the moment they had met and now she wasn't going to have him? Her fantasies fulfilled?

"Clary, I'm sorry that I let it get that far I just couldn't control myself. You are just so beautiful and I have wanted you like this for so long I couldn't—" He had walked up to her while speaking and when she heard his words Clary knew she was lost. There would be no going back. She wanted Jace, her boss, her saviour, her angel and he wanted her.

She seized the moment.

Carpe Diem.

She grabbed the waistband of his pants and pulled him towards her, undoing his belt and pants, staring into his eyes. He was so close, she would just have to lean a little closer to touch his lips but she didn't. His pants dropped and Jace looked at Clary, not moving, waiting for her to make the first move. She reached behind her and pulled her hair from its ponytail and undoing her bra, letting it drop in the space between them. Jace didn't move his gaze from her eyes.

Clary grabbed his hand and placed it onto her breast, keeping her eyes on his. Jace slowly massaged the breast and then his index finger circling the areola around her nipple. Clary shivered and tried to keep her moan in, savouring this moment. She let her hand skim the lump in his boxers and felt a slight twitch.

Clary held in for as long as she could but with Jace touching her, that wasn't very long. She grabbed each side of his face and brought it down to her, her lips pressing softly to his and then with more pressure as he responded. She let her tongue go over his bottom lip until he opened his mouth to her and she let her tongue massage his. His hands went down to her lower back, holding her firmly against him and then, it was as if an elastic band had snapped, Jace grabbed her ass and lifted her, her arms around his neck, her legs around his hips. He leaned her back against the wall, his fully body weight on her and Clary moaned at the sensations he was causing within her.

Her reaction to Jace scared her, aside from being pure unadulterated lust and wanting she also felt as if a missing part of her had been found.

Clary didn't like that feeling.

Jace manoeuvred her so that he was now holding Clary bridal style as he carried her to the bed. Placing her down so that her head was on the pillows and he was hovered over her, kissing her nose, lips, jaw, neck, all over her face and then making a trail down her breasts and to her panties. Clary's hands were clenching and unclenching at her sides as Jace, painfully slow, removed her underwear with his teeth. He looked down at her for a moment, taking in the sight of her completely naked. Clary had never felt more exposed or turned on in her life. Then he lowered his head between her legs and all thought left her.

His tongue slowly licked up her slit and Clary moaned. He was teasing her, letting his tongue out and retreating. Clary couldn't take it; she spread her legs, all propriety gone.

"Clary," Jace said with a frustrated tone, closing her legs again and continuing to tease her. She nearly lost it, she could feel herself unravelling, she could feel her orgasm bubbling to the surface and then, finally, he stopped teasing and opened her legs and flicked his tongue on her clitoris, in and out, causing a guttural sound to claw its ways from her throat.

Jace knew exactly what he was doing; he had a gift with that tongue. He would lick around her swollen nub and then, just touch her, each time bringing her closer to her orgasm and each time retreating back to teasing. Clary grabbed her own breasts, the sensation causing her to gasp. She had never felt like this before. All the men she had been with, all of the touches, kisses, looks, nothing compared to what Jace could do to her. He could _look_ at her and have her trembling.

"Jace, I can't hold—" She cut herself off with a shriek of ecstasy as he nibbled her clitoris. _Nibbled it_, as in he bit it. Clary had no idea that could feel so good. She was lost then, lost in an orgasmic cloud in which Jace was nothing but pleasure. When she came down from her cloud Jace was lying next to her on his back, smiling with a smug satisfaction.

Clary looked over at him, feeling slightly exposed because of her nakedness and he turned his head at the same time. For a long moment, they just stared into one another's eyes.

Until Jace broke the silence that is.

"Well, I don't think I have ever heard you raise your voice so much." Clary laughed suddenly, it was strange that she was laying next to Jace, naked, him almost so, an image she had fantasized about for months and now, here she was, and she was _giggling_.

"You really know what you're doing." She said and he grinned.

"I have much experience and," A look of desire passed over his features. "I'm just getting started." He rolled over until he was on his side and took one of her nipples into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue and teeth. Clary gasped, the fact that she had just come crashing down from a euphoric cloud seemed to increase the pleasure and add a slight, erotic pain to it.

Clary arched her back towards Jace's mouth as he moved to hover over her; she felt the material of his boxers press against her opening, slicking the cotton with her juices. She thrust forward experimentally and Jace let out a slight groan and sucked harder on her nipple. Clary grabbed his hair, tugging slightly until his head was off her chest and she brought it down, devouring his lips with hers and she tasted herself on his lips, the salty taste making her moan. Jace let his hands run over her body, his fingertips lightly touching her skin causing gooseflesh to appear.

Clary, in a sudden act of boldness, flipped them so that she was straddling Jace. She kissed along his jaw and nibbled his earlobe. He fisted his hand in her hair as she worked her lips down his neck and then trailed down his body, making sure to tease his nipples with a slight flick of her tongue.

She knew what she was doing, men used to pay her for this, the build up before the climax. She had done it so many times it hadn't bothered her, but she had a feeling that with Jace, she would even enjoy it and she never had before.

She removed his boxers and Jace kicked them off, fisted her hair again, his other hand behind his head.

_Oh you just relax honey; you have no idea what I have in store for you_.

Clary wrapped her hand around Jace's hard length; he was big, especially in her small hand. Clary couldn't wait to feel him inside of her. Clary teased him, looking up and meeting his blazing gaze. She trailed her fingers down his penis, barely touching, causing a shiver to go through him. Satisfied, she slowly lowered her head and licked from his tip to his balls, making him shiver once more before, _finally_, wrapping her mouth around him and taking him deep into her mouth, nearly covering the entire length of him.

Clary had discovered, after many nights of this, that she had quite a good gag reflex and it took _a lot_ to set it off. Jace was the first one to come close.

Clary continued sucking, occasionally swirling her tongue around his tip and grazing it with her teeth. Jace's hand was still fisted in her hair, guiding her head up and down. His other hand soon joined and Clary began to move faster, feeling his end coming closer.

Jace pulled slightly on her hair, it only turned her on more and then, surprising her even further, Jace moved so that he sat up, one hand in her hair, the other seeking her depths and immediately plunging two fingers in. Clary moaned around his penis, it seemed to feel good, if Jace's moan was anything to go by. He added a third finger and pumped them faster than Clary thought possible. It wasn't supposed to be like this though.

He was supposed to be receiving pleasure and she was supposed to give it. He wasn't supposed to give her pleasure aswell, it had never happened like that before.

Then Clary realised, Jace was different to any man she had ever been with. He didn't want her just because she was there, he wasn't paying her, he had wanted her for some time, she knew he had and now he had her and he was going to make her remember it.

Clary reached behind her anyway and removed his hand, to keep him satisfied, she placed it on her breast and Jace massaged it as he continued to groan. Clary felt him coming closer, his grip in her hair tightened and he grasped her breast painfully. He spilt his liquid into her throat and Clary swallowed greedily. Lifting her head to look at him, she took her finger and swiped around the tip of his penis, catching any stray drops before placing the finger in her mouth and sucking on it slowly, sensually.

"Clary," Jace said breathlessly, combing his fingers in one side of her hair, his palm resting against her cheek. "I have never wanted someone so much in my life."

Clary stared, had he really just said that? What did that mean? Did he have feelings for her? She tried not to read too much into it and smiled slyly.

"Didn't you say you were just getting started?" Jace gave her a mischievous grin before knocking her backwards. He gripped her wrists in his hands as he positioned himself between her legs.

"Oh, trust me, I am." He kissed her slowly, seeking every crevice in her mouth as he aligned his penis to her opening. He was about to thrust forward when something startling occurred to Clary.

"Wait!" She gasped and he froze.

"Stop?" He asked, looking unsure of himself. Jace was never one to be unsure of himself.

"Condom."

Jace laughed, although how he found the possibility of Clary falling pregnant funny was beyond her.

"Oh, my dear sweet Clary, when I said I was just getting started, I meant it." He kissed her as he thrust forward, completely filling her. Clary whimpered it had been a while since she had had sex and Jace was the biggest she had ever seen so she had to adjust to him. Jace kept himself fully sheathed in her as he continued to kiss her, removing one of his hands from her wrists and putting it between them, rubbing her clitoris, not letting Clary lose any buzz she had from him.

Clary moaned and experimentally thrust forward, feeling some pain but it wasn't just pain in the conventional sense, it heightened her pleasure. Jace took the look on her face as a good sign and began to thrust again, going in a rhythm of slow and then fast, filling her completely and only by half. It had Clary thrashing beneath him, but with her hands pinned by Jace's, there was little she could do.

He was being dominant with her and she couldn't believe how much she enjoyed it.

"Jace, I can't...I can't breathe!" She said, gasping. The things he was doing felt better than anything had before in her life and she felt as if there was not enough oxygen in the world to fill her lungs up again. "Jace," She couldn't articulate what she was feeling, there were not enough words. Amazing. Sensational. Erotic. There was one thing she knew the truth of. One thing Jace would yield to her in his dominant form. "Don't—don't stop!" She gasped out a moan as he increased his speed once more.

_How is he not cumming? _

Clary screamed out, not caring how loud she was nor if anyone could hear and if they could they would feel nothing but jealousy. As Clary came down once more, shaking with aftershocks, Jace was waiting for her, aligned with her body, looking down at her, leaning his head on his hand as he lay on his side. Clary couldn't help but lick her lips at the sight of him, he had a thin layer of sweat covering his body as did she and Clary couldn't help herself, she moved so that she mimicked his position and leaned forward, licking the sweat from his neck, feeling him shudder.

"You gotta tell me," she began, pulling back and looking straight into his eyes, centimetres separating them. "Am I going to have to take a pregnancy test?" Jace laughed and grasped her hips, rolling over until she straddled him; he sat up, teasing her nipple.

"No, I have become very good at telling when I am going to..." He grasped for a word.

"Spill?" Clary filled in the blank.

"Yes, don't worry Clary, even if you were at risk, I'd take care of you."

"Oh I have no doubt." She pushed him back and sat on his dick, rolling her hips around. He gripped her hips firmly; hard enough that Clary suspected there might be bruising in the morning.

"Fuck," He groaned, arching up as she moved up and down, literally riding him. Jace seemed to love this and Clary smirked, mentally noting that if she and Jace were ever in bed again, to tease him with this.

The thought of doing all this again with Jace, caused a series of images to flash through her mind and caused her to increase the friction, feeling as though there wasn't enough Jace for her to touch. She bent over him and kissed him, wanting to taste every inch of him, wanting to have his scent, his touch, everything that was Jace, staining her skin. Imprinted on her mind. She never wanted to leave this moment; she never wanted to go back to a professional relationship.

She wanted Jace, all of him, forever.

They both came at the same time, looking into each other's eyes. There was something very intimate about that and Clary savoured it all.

Rolling off of Jace, Clary laid on her back, thinking what she should do now. Jace had managed not to come in her—_thank god_—and was cleaning up himself.

_Was it over?_ Clary asked herself. _No more sex? Should I go to my own bed? Shower? _

Her questions were answered when Jace put his arm under her, bringing her to him. Clary tucked her head into the crook where his shoulder and neck met. Jace had his arm around her, drawing random patterns with the tips of his fingers along her side. Clary had her arm thrown across his hard stomach.

This was a peaceful, pleasant, bliss filled moment and Clary hoped that every night would be like this, that she would fall asleep in his arms.

She realised, as she dozed off and Jace kissed her forehead, that for the first time in her life, Clary would wake up to someone she cared about holding her. She would wake up happy.

She smiled as sleep took her.

* * *

_So, how was that? Lemony enough for you? Too much lemon?_

_Let me know. _

_What is going to happen next? _

_Who knows...oh wait, I do! ;)_

_**Question: **__Did you think it was a bit rushed, Clary and Jace doing the deed? _

_Review?_

_xox_


	15. No Bliss

**Author's note:**

_Hello again and welcome to a new chapter._

_So, lot's of Clace in that last chapter right? So that would mean lot's of Clace in this chapter, right?_

_**Side note: **__My friend has a book that she has start posting on some writing sites and on Tumblr. It is a paranormal romance story, if you are interested in reading it please message me and I will give you the link. It is posted on Figment, Wattpad, Authonomy and Tumblr._

_**Back to the Clace content in this chapter...**_

_I apologise in advance. _

_X_

* * *

Clary woke up, her back pressed against something warm and she was held against it. Opening her eyes, she remembered last night and, in turn, remembered where she was.

With Jace. In his bed.

Clary was snuggled against him, his arm around her waist, holding her close to him. She revelled in the feeling. Being in Jace's arms was something she had wanted for so long and now that she was here, it was better than anything she could have imagined.

Last night had been amazing; her fantasies didn't do Jace justice.

Heknew how to please her, how to have her screaming and writhing beneath him, if she had known that he could make her feel like that sooner she may have shoved her propriety away and done him at work.

Clary moved slightly and sighed.

She would have to get up, she promised to meet Luke and she had no idea what time it was. She moved Jace's arm from her and began to move off the bed when he reached out, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her back down to him. Clary rolled over so that she was on her side, facing Jace. His eyes were open and filled with light.

There was something very intimate about this moment, they were looking into one another's eyes, Jace's hand on her hip and they were both nude. Clary found herself not caring about the nude part and Jace didn't seem to notice.

"Jace, I have to get ready." She said in a feeble tone. She didn't want to get up, she wanted to stay in Jace's embrace all day, not eating, not moving, not doing anything that involved him not touching her.

Jace gripped her hip harder, moving closer to her that their noses touched, only slightly, but it was still enough to make Clary shiver in delight.

"No you don't." Jace said, rubbing her nose with his in an Eskimo kiss.

Clary grinned and then sighed in defeat, Jace looked at her expression and sighed a sigh of his own, this one is disappointment.

"Okay, I'm letting you go now." He moved his hand from her but did not move any further away from her. Clary shook her head and sat up, letting the blanket fall to her waist, her breasts exposed as she looked on the floor for her clothes. Finding them she gathered them in a pile on the bed and dressed, Jace watching her the entire time.

"I'm going to shower, see you downstairs?" She leaned down and kissed him on the lips and moved off the bed. She left his room and could feel him staring at her the entire time.

_#####_

Dressed and ready Clary descended the stairs, feeling giddier than she had ever felt in her life. She went to the kitchen and picked up and apple out of the fruit bowl, setting her coat and bag down, she took a seat at the breakfast bar. Isabelle stood there, watching her with amusement.

"Who have you dressed up for?" She asked smiling at Clary's attire.

Clary looked down at herself. She didn't look too dressed up, did she? She wore a simple dress, the top half a peachy pink colour and the bottom black, it tightened at her waist. Her shoes were plain black heels. She had done her hair in a simple bun and had minimal make up on.

"No one." She replied warily. Isabelle smirked at her, a knowing glint in her deep brown eyes.

"Oh don't give me that bull, I heard you two," she paused and thought for a moment, reconsidering her words. "No, _all_ of us did, Luke left when it started, Alec and Magnus soon after and Simon and I had to stay a little longer to get some things. Seriously, I think the whole of New York heard you two."

Blood rushed to Clary's face as she imagined all of these people listening to her, moaning Jace's name. Clary put her head in her hands, shaking it. She was mortified; people had heard her having sex, with Jace no less. Ugh. Why hadn't she been quieter?

_Because Jace doesn't know how to sedate his power in bed._

"Izzy, I'm sorry—"

Isabelle waved her hand. "Oh please, you aren't the first person I have heard Jace with." Clary didn't know if Isabelle was trying to make her feel better but it didn't work. Jealousy coursed through Clary at the thought of other women with Jace. Even though she had seen _and_ heard it, she didn't want to think of it. What she and Jace had shared was special, different to all of those other women; she knew it was because she cared about him, far more than she should.

She was about to ask Isabelle what she made of all this when Jace sauntered in, freshly showered and dressed in a crisp designer suit. He walked over to the fridge, not acknowledging Clary or Isabelle and poured himself a glass of Orange juice. The two girls watched him, waiting for him to say something. Anything.

Jace looked at them, lowering his glass. "Morning Ladies." He said in a neutral tone. Clary felt a pang in her chest. He wouldn't even look at her.

Isabelle looked between Jace and Clary confused. Clary ducked her head down, picking at her apple, no longer hungry for it. Jace was avoiding looking at her, but when he did, his eyes skimmed right over her. Was he doing this because Isabelle was here? Did he not want her to know?

Well, he probably should have thought about that _before_ giving her the best sex she had ever known.

"So," Isabelle spoke into the silence. "What's on the agenda for you two today?" Clary pretended not to hear what she mumbled next. Jace didn't though.

"What was that?" He asked. She looked at him, her face the picture of innocence.

"What are you surprised that I heard you and Clary going at it like sex crazed rabbits?" Clary tried to fight a blush, it was a losing battle. "You weren't exactly discreet."

"Isabelle," Jace began. He had gone rigid and he looked...angry. "Shut up."

He said is coldly, crisply. Isabelle looked at him in shock and Clary sat there, wondering what was going on. Only an hour ago Jace didn't want her leaving his bed and now it seemed as if he wanted nothing to do with her.

"What has gotten into you?" Isabelle asked. "Simon told me all about your little talk, I know exactly what you told him, you told him that you—" Jace slammed his fist on the bench top, causing Clary to jump.

"Whatever he told you, was a lie."

"But I thought..."

"Well, you thought wrong didn't you?"

Clary fidgeted uncomfortably. Isabelle glared at Jace and Jace turned his gaze away, studiously studying the marble top of the kitchen counter.

"I should go." Clary said in a small voice, retrieving her bag and coat from the seat next to her. She didn't look at either one of them as she made her way to the door, just as she was about to open it, to exit the uncomfortableness of the kitchen, someone opened it from the other side and Clary nearly banged right into them. She looked up, into the conceiting eyes of Kaelie. Clary hardened her features and stepped aside with a cold smile, letting Kaelie into the kitchen.

Kaelie sneered at Clary and then turned to Jace and Isabelle. Isabelle looked annoyed and directed it at Kaelie. Jace smiled a lazy relaxed grin. Clary felt another pang in her chest. He hadn't smiled at her like that this morning, after what they had shared, he had barely looked at her.

"Ready?" Kaelie asked Jace, inspecting her nails. Isabelle scoffed and Kaelie looked up at her. "What?" She snapped.

"Oh nothing," Isabelle said casually, raking Kaelie with a frosty glare as she made her way over to the door. "Just didn't realise we were done talking about Jace and Clary's night of _fucking_." Isabelle emphasised the word as she reached the door. Clary stared at her in shock. "Oh well," turning to Clary she grinned. "Have fun, but not too much, I don't really want to come back here and hear you and Jace moaning. In fact," She added, looking back at Kaelie. "He seemed to enjoy it more than he had with you dear, perhaps you should remember that _before_ trying to sleep with him again. I can smell your desperation and it is depressing." With a cheery wave Isabelle left.

Clary stood frozen to her spot. Jace had his fists clenched at his sides and Kaelie looked murderous. She turned to Jace and screeched.

"What the f—"

Jace cut her off with a look at Clary. It was the first time he had actually _looked_ at her since coming into the kitchen. He looked concerned for a moment and then masked it, his face blank of all emotion. Kaelie swivelled and looked at Clary as if she wanted to strangle her. She walked up to her and shoved Clary against the wall. Jace moved a move as if to intervene when Kaelie spoke.

"I always know you were a little slut, acting all innocent, as if you didn't want to fuck him. Well I've got news for you,_ Clary_," She sneered the name. "You stay the hell away from him, you got that?"

Clary's gaze hardened and she pushed back, Kaelie stumbled in her surprise.

Clary stood toe to toe with her and through her peripheral vision, saw Jace come to stand next to her, his hand on her arm, trying to pull her away.

"Touch me again and I _will_ make you regret it." She promised Kaelie. She let Jace pull her out of the room; he grabbed her bag and coat as they went from where she had dropped them on the floor.

Jace walked into the adjoined living room and pulled Clary to him, her nose nearly touching his chest. She looked up at him and noticed, with much trepidation, that he had yet to let go of her arm.

"What," he bit out. "Was that?"

"Well not to sound childish but she started it." Clary looked into his eyes, trying to find some emotion and came away empty. "What is your problem anyway? You seemed to change so fast, do you have your period or something?" Jace let a small smile slip before composing himself.

"What did you expect? Flowers? Chocolate? Love poems? Clary, I'm not that guy. Don't romanticize me, that is not who I am. What we did..." Jace breathed in, as if calming himself. "Was fun. That's all it was. You said so yourself you just wanted to forget so I helped you. I'm sorry if you read something into it that was not my intention."

Clary felt the tears in her eyes and looked at her arm; Jace's fingers were around it, gentle.

"Let go of me." She said her voice soft. Jace let go.

"Clary—" She cut him off. She didn't want to listen to him.

"My name is _Clarissa_, Clary is reserved to those who actually feel something and you obviously don't." Jace flinched slightly and she saw regret flash in his golden gaze, but as fast as it was there is was gone again. "I think we should set up some boundaries, at least until I find my own place, maybe I'll stay with Luke tonight, I don't know. All I know is that you, Jace Wayland, you are the worst man I have ever met and I hope that soon you are out of my life and I never have to see you again."

"Clary—"

She didn't let him speak; she walked out, towards the door and out of the house. She couldn't look at him, not now nor ever again. Yesterday had been a perfect day. She had shared so many looks and touches with Jace and he had spat on her.

_####_

The door shut with a resounding bang and Jace stood there for a moment longer, hoping to see her red hair appear again.

No such luck.

He turned to go back into the kitchen and listen to Kaelie's bitching when he heard clapping. Turning to his side he saw Isabelle appear from the next room, walking up to him, clapping in a slow applause that was meant as mockery.

"Congratulations Jace," Isabelle said, coming to a stop in front of him. "You did it."

"I did what?"

"You made the only girl that could possibly like you maybe even _love_ you, hate you. I hope you're happy with yourself."

"Clary doesn't love me."

"Not yet, but she was starting to fall and you pushed her away. What were you thinking? Pushing away the only girl to care for you, because of who you _are_ not because of what you are. A girl that you yourself are falling for."

"Izzy—"

"Do not give me the same crap you gave Simon. You _do_ deserve happiness, why would you think you didn't?"

"Because I am an ass." Isabelle snorted and nodded in agreement. "I have used too many women to deserve one like Clary."

"So you tell her that you used her, just like those other women? You treat her like she is one of them? That's just stupid! Do you think you are the only man to have slept around? You aren't! Many of those men slept around and then found _the one_ and knew they had to stop. Did they feel guilty? Possibly. You know how they made amends?"

"Isabelle I don't—"

"By treating the woman they loved with respect! Treating her the way they should have treated those other women!"

"Isabelle please stop! You don't think I know! You don't think I don't think about the way I treated them compared to how I treat Clary!"

"Obviously not, because you just treated her like one of them."

"Izzy, I have never felt this way about anyone before and everytime I think of Clary—"

"You think of how much you hurt those other women?"

"No, that's just it. Whenever I think of Clary, I think of her, only her. That's what bothers me. That I can forget of all the women I have hurt." Isabelle's expression softened and she walked up, hugging Jace close to her for a moment before pulling back again and looking into his eyes, smiling.

"Welcome to love Jace."

"Is that what this is? Do I love Clary?"

_Did I?_

"If you have to ask, then no, you don't love Clary, but are you falling in love with Clary?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do. Imagine if you will, Clary packing a suitcase and walking out of that door forever. Imagine her and Sebastian as a couple. Imagine her flashing an engagement ring. Imagine her walking up the aisle and you sit there, wondering if you would be meeting her at the altar if you had just spoke up."

Jace imagined and he felt a pang everytime he thought of Clary with any other man but him. Isabelle looked at him meaningfully and Jace struggled for words.

"Go."

"Isabelle I can't—"

"Go before she hates you forever, I'll deal with her," she gestured at the kitchen where Kaelie was no doubt eavesdropping.

Jace looked at Isabelle and took in everything she had said. Could he really deserve Clary?

Isabelle was about to speak when Jace gave her a hug, squeezing her as hard as he could. Letting her go he smiled, a genuine smile of happiness, one he hadn't smiled since before Clary came into his life and after his father died. Isabelle was speechless.

"Thank you."

Jace ran out of the door and, instead of waiting for a drive, he got the keys from the security box and got in the car himself. Starting the engine, he peeled out of the garage and down the drive, wondering where he should begin his search for Clary.

_Maybe I'll stay with Luke tonight..._

_#####_

"I almost thought you wouldn't make it." Luke said, answering the door to Clary. She blushed and walked inside, sitting on the two seater sofa in the living room.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" He asked and she shook her head. He studied her, he could tell she was frazzled, but he said nothing. Clary appreciated it, she is in no mood to talk about Jace, she never wanted to speak about him again.

"Luke," She began. "I just wanted you to know that I really appreciate everything you are doing for me and I wish things had been different; I wish I had grown up with you." He didn't say anything, Clary looked at him. He wasn't moving and it looked as though he was trying not to cry. "I wish that you were my father, biological or not, and I was wondering if—"

Luke grabbed her arm, his blue eyes wide in fright. Is grip was painful, his knuckles white.

"Luke?" She tried to get a focus on him, tried to get him to speak. He fell to the floor, his eyelids fluttering.

"Oh my god." Clary acted. She got up and ran to the phone dialling as fast as she could; crouching down next to Luke she took his hand.

"_911 what is your emergency?_"

"Yes, help, I, I need an ambulance, now, urgently he, please, I..." Clary was frantic; she felt the tears she refused to spill back at Wayland Manor break free, streaming down her face.

"_Miss, you have to tell me what has happened._"

"I don't know, he was fine and then he—you have to help him I don't know what to do—please he needs an ambulance—I—" Clary stopped and breathed in a shaky breath, trying to calm her thoughts so that she could reiterate what she knew had happened. "Help, he is having a heart attack."

* * *

**Author's note:**

_I have nothing to say_


	16. I'm His

**Author's Note:**

_Hello._

_Thank you all for the reviews, I appreciate every single one of them. _

_A lot of you were quite shocked as to where I left the last chapter and...Well...I warned you to have tissues on hand for good reasons. _

_Alright, ready for this one?_

_Let's start._

_Xox_

* * *

What happened next was a blur to Clary.

She had told the woman on the phone that Luke was having a heart attack because there was no other explanation. She gave the address and soon after hanging up. She heard the wail of sirens. Clary stood robotically to open the door and let the paramedics in. She went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, sipping at it while they used complicated phrases and she heard the beep of machines.

She had never felt so lost before and she didn't like it. She sipped her water, doing something normal to distract from the pain within her heart. When one of the Paramedics came in and told her they were taking Luke to the hospital she nodded and said she had to make a phone call and would be there very soon.

She pulled out her mobile and dialled the all too familiar number, telling that person where to meet her and hanging up. She left the apartment; locking toe door with the key left on the hook and hailed a cab to the hospital.

Sitting in the back it all hit her, more so than it had when Luke had begun acting funny.

Hot tears fell silently down her cheeks as she realised how stupid she was to not go in the ambulance with him, to hold him and tell him it would all be okay.

_What if I am too late?_

_#####_

"Luke Garroway, he came in recently." Clary was desperate, her knuckles white from her grip on the Nurse's station. She was going through a list of patients, too slow for Clary's liking. She couldn't help but think that Luke could be dead by the time that she found him.

"Ah," She finally said looking up at Clary triumphantly. "I found him. May I see your I.D?"

What? What kind of stupid question was that?

"I don't _have_ it."

"Oh, well we are in a bind. I cannot let you see him unless you are an immediate family member."

Clary gritted her teeth, she had never been so angry before at someone she didn't know. How could this woman, this heartless cow, stand here and ask for ID and then stop Clary from seeing Luke when he was all alone and possibly dying.

"There is nothing I can do unfortunately; you are going to have to wait until visiting hours." She looked back at her screen and Clary fumed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise that my identity took priority over a dying man. Next time I will be sure to grab my purse before calling an ambulance to help someone again. How silly of me to put life above anything else." The nurse looked up, eyebrows raised.

"Listen—"

"No, you listen. That man is the only family I have left; I don't need an I.D to tell me that now you tell me where he is _right now_!"

The nurse blinked, stunned.

"Are you a family member?" She asked again and Clary could have hit her.

"I'm his—" Clary thought about it. What was she to Luke? She could have been a family member if it weren't for her father, she hadn't known him long but she knew she wasn't ready to lose him. She looked at the nurse steadily and said, with complete and utter conviction and honesty what she was to Luke Garroway. "I'm his daughter."

The Nurse looked at Clary, up and down as if trying to find a resemblance and then, with a sigh told her Luke's room number. Clary didn't bother asking directions, she ran to the elevators, bobbing on her heels in impatience. When it came to pressed the third floor, assuming that he was in room 305 he would be on the third floor and then, thinking it over again, pressed the fourth floor button.

She tore out the elevator, quickly looking at the signs and seeing that she was right and she ran down the hallways, like hell was chasing her, to Luke. She found him and stood a moment outside of the door, catching her breath and then walking in.

He wasn't alone.

There was an older man there, writing something down on a sheet attached to a clip board. He was dressed nicely with a white coat thrown over him. He turned and saw Clary standing there and when she saw the look in his eyes, she knew that what she was denying was true.

He motioned for her to go out to the hallway with him, Luke had his eyes closed and Clary watched as she walked out with the doctor for any sign of life.

The doctor stood with her just outside the door, looking down at her. He had grey hair and grey eyes to match. He was middle aged and had a scar up the right side of his face. He held out his hand to Clary, she just stared at it, like it was a demon. He put his hand back down to his side and began to speak, gaining Clary's full attention.

"I'm Doctor Starkweather and I looked at Lucian upon arrival—"

"Lucian?"

"Yes, his _full_ name." He looked at Clary confused.

"Oh, of course. Sorry, continue."

"As I was saying, I looked at _Luke_," he said this time but Clary barely noticed. She kept looking through the little window in Luke's door, in case he woke up. "He suffered a heart attack and he nearly died, but we were able to stabilise him enough so that..." The Doctor trailed off and Clary snapped her gaze back to him registering the look in his eyes.

"So that what?"

"So that someone had a chance to say goodbye."

Clary's eyes widened and the doctor continued to speak, but it was like a distant echo. She felt light headed and she had a disgusting taste in her mouth that she just wanted to spit out. She tried to concentrate on the Doctor, but only caught snippets of what he was saying. Something about his heart giving up and it being his time, Clary wasn't really paying attention, she should have been but she got the gist of what he was saying and with that came a knot in her stomach that threatened to consume her. She didn't want to stand out here with him, she wanted to go into that room and demand that Luke fight for his life, he couldn't leave her now.

_Just like everybody else..._

The Doctor looked at her sadly and finished what he is saying.

"I'm very sorry for your loss."

Clary jerked and glared at the Doctor.

"He is not lost, not yet." She huffed and barged into the room, shutting the door firmly behind her. She made her way slowly over to Luke's bed, noticing the steady beat coming from the heart monitor and breathing in a breath of relief.

Clary moved to the side of the bed that Luke barely occupied and lay down. Her back was propped against the rails and her legs stretched out. She didn't know what else to do but wait. She looked down at Luke and saw the grey hue on his skin and she felt tears bubble to the surface and suddenly she felt angry.

"Dammit Luke," She said, wiping her tears away. "How can you do this to me? I _need_ you. You can't go, not now, not before anything has happened. I need you, just like my Mother needed you. Please Luke, wake up, don't go. Live. For me." Clary couldn't speak anymore, she moved her knees and wrapped her arms around them as they pressed into her chest, bowing her head and crying. She didn't care that she was wearing a dress and if someone came in they could see the scanty underwear she was wearing. She didn't care that she was in her twenties and crying like a little child. She didn't care that she barely knew Luke and that he wasn't her actual father.

She didn't care because none of it mattered. All that mattered, right now, was that Luke was dying and Clary needed to say goodbye. She _wanted_ to say goodbye.

"Clarissa?" As if he could hear her thoughts, Luke grasped Clary's hand and she turned eyes wide and full of unshed tears. His voice had been weak and raspy.

"Luke," Clary moved so that she could wrap Luke in a hug. "I was worried you weren't going to wake up."

"Of course I would, I was just listening to you with my eyes shut."

Clary choked out a laugh, running her fingers through Luke's hair.

"Why Luke?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you just giving up like this?"

"It's my time Clarissa."

"No, you can fight this."

"No," He said with finality. "I can't."

"Luke, _please_," She whispered desperately through the tears. "Stay with me. I need you."

"Clary, can you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Sing me a song."

"A song?"

"Any song, a nice song."

"Why?"

"Your Mother used to always sing a song to you before you went to sleep, do you remember it?"

He started humming a tune and familiar words rose up in Clary's memory.

"I remember the song."

"Can you sing it to me?"

"I can't sing."

"Everyone can sing. Please?"

Clary sighed and moved so that she was more comfortable, her arm around Luke's shoulders, his head resting on her elbow. She closed her eyes, tears leaking from them, and remembered the song from so long ago.

"_I remember tears streaming down your face  
When I said, I'll never let you go  
When all those shadows almost killed your light  
I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone  
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

_Just close your eyes_  
_The sun is going down_  
_You'll be alright_  
_No one can hurt you now_  
_Come morning light_  
_You and I'll be safe and sound_

_Don't you dare look out your window darling_  
_Everything's on fire_  
_The war outside our door keeps raging on_  
_Hold onto this lullaby_  
_Even when the music's gone_

_Just close your eyes_  
_The sun is going down_  
_You'll be alright_  
_No one can hurt you now_  
_Come morning light_  
_You and I'll be safe and sound_

_Just close your eyes_  
_You'll be alright_  
_Come morning light,_  
_You and I'll be safe and sound..."_

"I always loved that song." Luke remarked in a sleepy voice. Clary looked down at him in alarm, his eyes were drooping, she shook him a little and his eyes snapped open.

"Luke," Clary said, her tears spilling onto his cheek. "You can't leave me. Not now. I need you Luke; I need you to stay with me."

"Clary," He said, his eyelids lowering as he did so, his voice like a breath. "Remember who you are."

Clary was about to ask him what that was supposed to mean, she was Clary Fray, orphan. Then a sound drifted through the room and Clary moved Luke gently and knelt, looking down at his face, sobs raggedly coming from her throat. Tears spilling freely like a waterfall and her hands tight in the blanket.

"Luke," She was saying, quiet, desperate. "Luke, come back."

It was too late though. What was before her was the body of Luke Garroway, an empty shell. He was gone, he had left her and he wasn't coming back. Doctor Starkweather came into the room, alerted by the noise, and took in Clary's position and Luke's to still form.

"Time of death," He murmured, writing on his stupid notes. "11:15 p.m."

He switched off all of the machines and looked at Clary as if he were going to ask her to leave, but thinking better of it, he left her there with the empty shell of Luke.

The single flat line beep had finally stopped, but Clary could still hear it resonating in her ears.

_#####_

She sat there, unmoving, her eyes wide and tearless for what felt like hours, but when she checked the time it was only midnight. She was finally able to move, placing on last kiss on Luke's forehead before going out into the corridor to let the Doctor do what he needed to do.

She functioned like a robot, got herself some coffee and sat in the waiting area, waiting to find out what to do next. She was startled when hands pressed on her knees and she looked away from her coffee and into Jace's golden eyes. She vaguely remembered calling him, in what felt like another life.

"Clary," he said softly, not moving his eyes from hers. "I am so sorry."

She put her Styrofoam cup down on the vacant seat next to her and moved, Jace moving with her, until she was on her knees in front of him. She forgot about their arguments that day, forgot about everything that had happened. She _needed_ Jace right now. Needed the warmth his touch brought her. Needed to distraction of his kiss.

She needed him like she had never needed him before.

She moved closer to him and pressed her lips gently to his, his response was hesitant at first until he too sunk into the kiss. She grabbed his hair and pulled him closer, trying to ignore the tears that were coming. She didn't want to let go of Jace, not now not ever, but she knew that she would have to.

She pulled back and saw the sympathy in his gaze.

"Clary, come home." He said softly and she knew he didn't just mean because she needed to get out of the hospital. She had scared him when she told him she would move out, she could see in his eyes that no matter how cold he had been, Clary meant something to him, she meant a lot to him and he didn't want her to leave.

"They need to speak to me." She answered his unspoken question.

_Come home with me Clary?_

His eyes had asked.

"No, they said you can come back tomorrow." Clary wasn't sure, she just stared at Jace and she finally figured out why she wasn't immediately running into his arms, losing herself in passion. She wanted to hear him say it, like he had in the car, hear the words.

_You mean a lot to me._

She didn't want to see it in his eyes; she wanted to hear it come from him. He finally understood.

"Clary," He began, taking her hands in his. "Please come home with me, I—" He stopped talking and Clary was about to take her hands away when he started again. "I _need_ you Clary. I...I care too much about you to just let you walk away."

Clary smiled slightly, she thought that she would never smile again, and leant forward, pressing her lips softly to Jace's.

She nodded and they both stood and left the hospital, hand in hand.

* * *

_I had to give you a sweet ending considering what I just did. _

_So, some people were __**convinced**__ that Luke would pull through and I wasn't going to let him die._

_So sorry, but there is a reason for me being so heartless. _

_Perhaps I will tell you..._

_Review?_

_X_


	17. Fulfilments

**Author's note:**

_Hello, hello. _

_First off, I forgot to write the name of the song in the last Author's note, so here it is;_

_**Safe & Sound by Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars**_

_Secondly I would like to say to __**Bookninja15 **__that I am sorry for the emotions I made her feel in the last chapter (enough that she even put it on Tumblr, I felt terrible)_

_Thirdly, remember I have a poll, links to outfits and a tumblr. Profile for details._

_Lastly, I regret nothing from the last chapter except mistakes! _

_**ALSO **_

_I have to say that this song really seems like Jace thinking about Clary whenever they have a Clace moment; __**Hanging by a moment by Lifehouse. **_

_Awesome band, awesome song._

_Okay, I have rambled._

_Enjoy!_

_Xox_

* * *

"Well that was what I expected it to be." Clary said walking into the bedroom and placing her bag down while kicking her shoes off. She fell backwards on the bed and felt it bounce slightly.

"It was a funeral Clary; it was supposed to be sad and ominous, not happy and colourful." Jace said, removing his suit jacket to hang up in his closet.

Clary sat up on her elbows and looked at Jace, thinking about everything that had happened in the last week.

They had just returned from Luke's funeral, Clary had found an address book in his apartment and invited everyone from it, though not all showed up. She had packed up his apartment and taken all of his stuff in boxes back to Wayland Manor where Jace had a room emptied to fill with Luke's belongings. Clary had started going through the things Luke had owned, but she often got emotional seeing everything he had touched or loved.

Clary and Jace's relationship had also developed in a way Clary wasn't sure she was happy with. After their moment at the hospital, Jace telling her he needed her, they had come back home and Clary had gone to her own room, quickly discovering there was no way she was going to be able to sleep and had snuck into Jace's room and slept there. They had been sharing his bed ever since, but neither one of them tried to define what they had. Acting like friends around people but acting like a couple when they were alone.

Clary thought that Jace didn't look at her romantically and when she voiced this, snuggled up with him in his king bed he just shook his head at her.

"It's not that, I'm just...I want to give _you_ time."

Clary didn't know what he meant by that.

Jace came and sat down next to Clary, rubbing her leg comfortingly.

"Are you okay?" He asked. He had been asking this a lot for the last week, ever since he had found her at the hospital, and she always gave him the same answer.

"Of course I'm not okay, but I will be."

Jace sighed and lay down next to her.

They lay there for a while, not touching, not talking, just content with the quiet, the company and staring at the ceiling.

"What do you think he meant?" Clary asked in the silence. Jace turned his head towards her as she turned hers towards him.

"What do I think who meant?"

"Luke," Clary said, a pang hitting her as she spoke his name. "His last words. What do you think he meant?"

Jace looked at her evenly.

"I don't know. It could have mean a number of things, but with what Luke was saying the night before, I think it could have only meant one thing. One obvious thing."

"What's that?"

"That you are Clarissa Morgenstern, daughter of Jocelyn and Valentine Morgenstern and heir to the Morgenstern fortune."

Clary thought about this and shook her head.

"I can't be the heir to his fortune, he has a son."

"Then why would he have given you up and gone to so many measures to keep you away?"

Clary thought about this and was stunned with how much sense it made. Valentine had given her up to keep her from getting what was rightfully hers and she had no idea what. He didn't want her near his fortune.

Jace moved to stand and Clary grabbed his wrist pulling him on top of her.

"Clary," Jace said, a little breathily. "Remember the last time we were in this position?"

"Fondly."

"If you don't let me up, it may be repeated."

Clary wrapped her arms around his neck, bring his lips to hers and before so touched them she said one word, her lips brushing his as she spoke.

"Good."

_#####_

Jace awoke and searched the bed for Clary, feeling her side cold. He opened his eyes and looked around the room. Her clothes were gone and so was she.

Jace stumbled out of bed, putting on a pair of sweatpants before heading downstairs, thinking that Clary must have been thirsty or hungry. He saw a light on in the kitchen and he breathed out in relief. Opening the door, he scanned the room and his eyes came to stop on a figure standing behind the counter, although it was not, he realised with annoyance, his little red head.

"You know how inappropriate it is to just waltz into someone's house and steal their food?"

Simon grinned back, placing the various items on the counter and Jace didn't need to ask to know what was going on.

Ever since Luke had passed, Isabelle had been staying at Wayland Manor to keep Clary occupied during the day and, along with Izzy, Simon too had been staying. They were in the guest room farthest from Jace's—and evidently now Clary's—room.

Jace took in the items Simon had taken from the fridge and shook his head. Chocolate Sauce. Whipped cream. Strawberries. Honey. He suppressed a shudder.

"Have you seen Clary?" He asked, ignoring the elephant in the room.

"Why?" Simon asked. "She run out on you?"

Jace scowled. "No, she just isn't in my bed where she is supposed to be."

"So you slept with her," Simon began, a thoughtful look on his face. "And you woke up and she was gone? But she _didn't_ run out on you?"

Jace ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He worried about Clary, now more than ever, all her emotions were heightened with the loss of Luke. He knew what it was like to grieve, he knew what it was like to panic when you watched someone you loved suffer, he knew what it was like to hold their hand in the final moments of their lives.

He had done so for his father. It had made him stronger in some ways and it made him understand what Clary was going through better than anyone.

"I haven't seen her." Simon said, grabbing Jace's attention. "But, considering what has happened in the last week, does it really surprise you that she would want to be alone? Maybe get some air? Go for a walk?"

"I guess not." Jace mumbled. "Well then, back to bed I go and," Jace smirked. "Back to _bed_ you go."

Jace turned to walk out of the kitchen when Simon said his name again.

"Jace," He turned. "Don't break her heart. This girl, Clary, she's different. I can tell that you really like her and if all you two are doing is _it_ well then, maybe you need to re-establish your relationship."

"Lewis, I'm giving her time before I tell her anything like that. Trust me; I am not going to let her slip away."

"How much time are you giving her?"

"As much as she needs?"

"Why?"

"Because," Jace said his hand on the door knob. "I don't know if she wants to be with me that way."

_#####_

Clary read the little slip in her hand and turned the corner. She laughed at herself; she wouldn't have been able to miss this place, not in a million years.

Clary opened the door, she knew it was late but she also knew that someone was still here. She walked into the office and searched, looking for the door with the plaque she wanted. When she found it, she walked and hesitantly opened the door, seeing the person look back at her.

"I'm sorry, business hours are—" He stopped when he saw her.

"Clary," Alec restarted after gaining his composure. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," She responded confidently. "I want to sue Valentine Morgenstern for all he's worth."

* * *

_What is going to happen next?_

_Review?_

_X _


	18. The Circus Begins

**Author's note:**

_Hi all, so we are in the final stretch of this. Four chapters and an epilogue to go! _

_Hence why I have started updating Elegant Script and Blue Pen—which, might I add seems to be very popular; three chapters and over fifty reviews. _

_Okay, so, let the final chapters begin!_

_Xox_

* * *

"_Miss Morgenstern, Miss Morgenstern, why are you stepping forward now?" _

"_Miss Morgenstern, what can you tell us about the trial?"_

"_Miss Morgenstern, is it true that you are in a relationship with Jace Wayland?"_

"_Can you comment on your boyfriend being your father's rival?"_

Clary ducked past photographers and reporters, saying no comments to everything they ask. Alec and Magnus were in front, trying to push them away. Simon stood by her side as did Isabelle and kept the microphones away from her. Aline, Jace and Maia—an employee of Isabelle's _and_ Aline's girlfriend—were behind her. She was encased and no one was going to get to her.

They got into the court room and Clary was finally able to breathe.

"You'd think I was Madonna with the way they're acting." Clary said, running her hands through her hair.

"Sweetie, in this city you are. They live for scandals like this." Isabelle replied. "Now look at me."

"Isabelle, I don't think it matters what I look like."

"Looking good is an air of confidence now look!" Isabelle snapped her fingers and Clary rested her eyes on her. Isabelle fixed up Clary's face and removed any smudges of makeup, then moved on to her outfit. "I knew this would be perfect for you."

"Izzy," Simon said, shaking his head at his fiancée

"Hush, you cannot rush me."

Clary was dressed in a black dress that was tight and gave her an hour glass look, the waist and hips were covered in a piece of flowing material that made the outfit look like a skirt and shirt combo. Her shoes were black and gold heels with a strand of gold connecting the toe and ankle strap and she had a vintage Chanel bag.

"Okay, you look presentable, let's go." Isabelle tugged on Clary's arm and she was led to the doors where she would meet her father. She swallowed in nervousness.

"Don't worry," Jace said, whispering in her ear so that no one could hear. "You look beautiful and you haven't done anything wrong." Discreetly, he placed a kiss below her ear. Clary breathed in a calming breath and was told that she could go in. Opening the doors, she entered all eyes on her. Her small entourage walked in behind her, taking seats at the front of the court room. Alec and Magnus walked with Clary, one in front and one behind.

They walked behind their desk, Clary refusing to look to her left at her father. She could feel his gaze burning into her.

"Valentine Morgenstern charged with falsely putting his daughter in an orphanage in which was not a legal exchange and breaching legal documents drawn up between Jocelyn Fairchild and Lucian Garroway. Is this correct?" The judge asked looking up from her papers to Alec.

"It is your honour."

"How do you plea Mr. Morgenstern?"

"Not guilty."

"On what grounds?"

"I did not know that the exchange between the owner of the orphanage and I was illegal and I was also unaware of these legal documents."

"_These_ legal documents say different." The judge looked down her at Valentine, who did not squirm or seem uncomfortable at all. Clary was infuriated by this.

He was smug, confident that he wasn't going to be put away. He didn't know Clary though; he didn't know what his daughter could do.

He was going to find out _very _soon.

"Your honour," Valentine's Lawyer said. "My client and I wish to convene with Miss Fray—"

"Miss _Morgenstern_." The judge corrected.

"And her legal team, may we be a granted a brief recess?"

"So soon? I suppose. A recess of one hour is granted." The judge banged her gavel and stood.

"Alec," Clary whispered. "I thought this was just a hearing."

"It is."

"Really? I have seen Law and Order, the hearings are just a formality it is not an actual court case!"

"Civil hearings work differently, besides I assumed that your father has something to do with the speed of his trial." Alec cast a glance over to the man in question as Magnus talked with his lawyer. He came back, shaking his head.

"They want to meet his in interview room C to discuss a deal." Alec gritted his teeth and nodded. Clary looked over and saw Jace cast her a confused—and worried—glance.

"I'll be right back."

Clary made her way over to Jace, who was standing away from Isabelle, Simon, Aline and Maia so that he could talk to her privately.

"What's going on?" He asked as soon as she reached him.

"He wants to make a deal." Clary looked up, her eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. She had dreamed of having a mother and father, dreamed of the day she may meet them, thinking that maybe they gave her up because they were young and not ready and they would welcome her with open arms. She never thought that she would be in a court room, suing her father for giving her up for the sheer fact of not wanting her.

Jace pulled her to him, one hand on the back of her head, resting it on his shoulder and the other around her waist. He whispered into her ear.

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out. No matter what, you won't be alone in this." He discreetly kissed her and pulled back. Clary nodded and turned to where Alec had been waiting, and watching—along with everyone else in the room. She didn't care, let them watch; let them see Jace Wayland show her affection. Then everyone would know that she meant something to someone.

_#####_

"So we meet again."

Clary glared as Valentine—her father—smirked. She was seated across from him and his legal team. She was in the middle, directly opposite Jonathan who said nothing and wouldn't even look at her.

"We aren't here to gloat," Alec said in annoyance. "We are here to listen to your deal plea." Valentine's lawyer—Stephen—chuckled at this.

"The deal was for _you_. You have no case, you know as well as I do that you are not going to win. There is no case. So we are prepared to offer you a deal."

"Oh?" Clary piped up. "What kind of a deal?"

"One that involves giving you a very substantial amount of money in order for you to withdraw the charges and keep your silence," Stephen smiled and slid a folded piece of notebook paper towards Clary. "I think you'll find this amount to your liking."

Clary unfolded the note and looked down at the numbers written on the page.

_10, 000, 000 _

Clary felt her eyes widen slightly at the amount. He—her father—was offering her ten million dollars to keep her silence. She looked up and met his cool, dark gaze. Lifting the note she tore it in half and watched as he narrowed his eyes to her.

"What do you think—" Valentine began, but Clary cut him off. She had had enough of people pushing her and telling her what to do. She was finally going to do something for herself, by herself.

"You think I want your money? You think you can just write down a figure and expect me to grovel?"

"Clary—" Alec cut in but she talked over him, shaking with fury.

"You _dumped_ me! In that place! Because—because I look like my mother? Because I'm a girl? How can someone be so heartless? You had one child and two was too much?"

"Clarissa, do not raise you voice to me."

"Don't tell me what to do you son of a bitch! I _know_ why you gave me up! I know _everything _that you have done and no figure is going to silence me!" She pulled out the folder she had hidden in a briefcase that Jace had handed her as he hugged her at the court room.

She dumped the folder on the table and it made a loud _thud_.

Valentine looked at it, eyes wide. Stephen lost his smirk and glance up at Clary.

"This is hardly necessary, Mr. Morgenstern is a much respected businessman, to unleash this would destroy his company."

"I think that's less than half of what he owes me. He took away my life, my family, he let me suffer in that place and in the streets and he knew, he _knew_ what it was like for me and he did nothing. I am his daughter, his flesh and blood, his family and he threw me away like trash. His loss of reputation is _nothing_ compared to what he put me through. There is to be no deal. I am taking you down, _dad_, and I will make damn sure you never get up."

Clary put the folder back in her briefcase and stormed out, Alec was already at the door, holding it open for her.

She walked past, not once glancing back at the shocked stare of Stephen, the proud—and callous—stare of her father and the curious stare of her brother.

_#####_

He watched her go, he watched his father squirm, for once, in uncomfortableness. Jonathan wondered if his father had noticed it too, the Clarissa looked so much like Jocelyn but had a bit of Valentine's attitude in her. The way she had just acted, ruthless, reminded him of his father.

Jonathan had asked his father about Clarissa and he had pushed him away, telling him not to dwell on unpleasant thoughts, but he could not forget her. Since he had first met her, he knew, on some level, he knew who she was and he hadn't wanted to push her away, he wanted to pull her closer.

He wanted to protect her.

He wanted to be a big brother to his little sister.

Jonathan stood and walked out of the room, thinking, when all this was over, he wanted to be in Clarissa's life.

He wanted his sister to be in his.

He wanted his family.

* * *

_Okay, final stretch. Five chapters left. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?_

_Will Clary and Jace have their happily ever after?_

_Will Valentine pay for what he has done?_

_Will Jonathan get to be in Clary's life?_

_Will Clary and Jace finally admit their feelings or will one of them walk away?_

_Find out, in the next chapter._


	19. The Verdict

**Author's note:**

_Hello, so four more chapters (well three and an epilogue). _

_Any idea how I'm going to end this? Let me know._

_OH do you at least like the cover?_

_On we go _

_X_

* * *

Clary didn't know what to do. She sat in the car, her hands shaking with her nervousness. Today was a big day and she just wanted it over with, she just wanted to move on from it all.

Today was the day where she would find out if Valentine would be punished.

He wasn't being sentenced on dumping her, although the judge did come down on Clary's side, there was nothing she could do but fine Valentine for his first offence and breach of contract. Clary snorted thinking about it.

"You okay?"

She was riding in the back of Jace's sleek black Mercedes with Jace next to her. For the last two weeks they had been together, the cameras following them and, in Clary's mind there was no doubt to this, pissing her father off. Although even without that added bonus she would be with Jace, after everything that had happened between them from the moment they met to the moment they slept together to now, Clary found her feelings for him growing into something she didn't quite understand. Whenever he looked at her, touched her, her blood would sizzle and butterflies would erupt in her belly.

She had heard about love, but never thought she would experience it. Is that what she was feeling? Was she feeling love?

Clary couldn't help but look over at Jace as she asked herself this. Was he feeling it too? She wasn't an idiot, she knew he felt _something _but she didn't know how far that something went. Was it mere lust that he felt or a close friendship? Did he care about her more than a friend? _Was_ he in love with her?

They had known each other for nearly five months, that was plenty of time to know if you loved someone or not, wasn't it?

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Clary blinked and fought away a blush, though why she would blush in front of Jace considering what they have done she didn't know, but she fought it none the less. She thought about answering him with a lie, but decided to put all her eggs in one basket. Today was a day of change. So, grabbing his hand she played with his fingers for a moment, noticing his small grin and responded.

"I was just thinking." She said easily.

"About what?"

"You, me," she said casually before going all in. "Us."

"Oh," Was his eloquent response. Clary peeked a look at him and saw that his grin was gone but he did not move his hand from her. Good sign.

"Oh?"

"Oh...What about us?"

"You know, normal we stuff. Like, what's going to happen after today? Will I still live with you, work for you?"

"You always have a place in my home and office, you know that."

"I know, but. I don't want any of that if we aren't going somewhere." She finally said, looking at him and registering that he was showing no emotion. Bad sign.

"What do you mean we aren't going anywhere? We're friends Clary, we are going everywhere."

"Friends?" She asked. "Everything that we've...friends?"

"Well, maybe a little more than friends."

"Like, how much more?"

"Like how Kaelie and I are friends."

_Oh, so I'm your whore?_ She wanted to ask that, she did but she held herself back.

"So beneficial friends?"

"Precisely." He grinned at her.

"But, you said you needed me, that you cared about me."

"I do need and care about you, more than I—but it's just, I don't want to jump into anything right now."

"Jace," She said bluntly. "What am I to you? Your friend? Your fuck buddy? Your employee? Your charity case? What?"

He sighed and seemed to think over his answer while Clary stewed. She couldn't believe what he had said. They were more than that weren't they? She couldn't be the only one feeling it, could she?

"You're special to me."

Clary nodded and faced the window, letting go of his hand and blinking back tears. She saw in the reflection that he regretted his words and that he wanted to say more but instead he turned to his window and stared out.

_Special, a friend. Not a woman he wanted to be in a relationship with. _

He wasn't ready to jump but she already had and she was falling, fast. Jace was the only one to catch her when she hit the bottom, but he wasn't going to. He wasn't ready to catch her and that was when Clary knew. Knew that today wasn't just the day the verdict was drawn on her father. It was also the day the verdict was drawn on her and Jace and where they stood. On whether or not she and he would work out and on whether or not she should stay around and wait for him.

The verdict was also drawn on her heart.

_#####_

Clary grinned as she hugged Alec and Magnus. She could not believe what had just happened.

Guilty. Valentine Morgenstern was found guilty of embezzlement, insurance fraud and stealing company money for petty spending. He was going away for a long time.

_Luke,_ Clary said in her head. _Thank you, for everything._

For it was because of Luke, because of the folder he had given her that her father was going away and that she was now a CEO in his company.

The judge seemed to pity Clary and ruled that she take her rightful place as CEO of Morgenstern, Clary was confused at first until she was handed a contract drawn up by her father, mother and a lawyer.

Her mother believed that women were powerful and to ensure that she had her lawyer make up a contract _before_ she married Valentine, stating that should they have a daughter, she will be the successor of the business and should they also have a son, older, he will become a vice CEO.

Clary could not believe it. She didn't think it was real; she had no idea how to run a company. She also inherited Valentine's home, which she did not want to live in, Jonathan could have that and her share of his fortune.

She was in awe. Orphaned and then left on the streets to CEO of a successful company and a multi millionaire. It all seemed so..._Disney._

It was a real rags to riches story, although when Clary looked at Jace she couldn't help but think that hers was more like a rags to gold story when she told Magnus this he grinned.

"Everyone will want a piece of you now. You should write an autobiography and call it...From Ragged to Golden." Clary laughed.

"I don't think so." She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned. Jonathan stood there, looking unsure of himself.

"Clarissa," he said in a quiet, timid voice. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." She shrugged. They walked away from her friends and most of the crowd. They sat at the back of the court room and it was awkward. Clary felt strange she was sitting next to her _brother_. It seemed as if she was living someone else's life.

"Clary, do you mind if I call you that?" She shook her head. "Clary, I'm—I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am for everything you went through. I don't really remember you; I was only three, or maybe four, when he left you there. I just, I'm sorry. I hope that we can work together, I'd really like a sister."

Clary felt her eyes water and did the only thing she could. She reached out and hugged Jonathan—hugged her brother—and it felt so normal, so nice and familiar and he hugged her back and in that moment, for the first time in her life, she felt like she had a family.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Jonathan." She said, pulling back and wiping a few tears away. "You didn't do this to me."

"I know, but I—I just wish I knew and I could have helped you."

"Well, now you do and now you can."

"Clary, you are a already off the streets how can I help you?"

"Well, I need to find somewhere to live and also I need to learn how to run a company."

He smiled at her and she smiled back.

_So this is what having a sibling is like._

"I can help you with that."

"Good, I'll be right back."

She stood and made her way back to her friends, gaining the courage she needed. They saw her and smiled but she didn't return it. She wasn't mad at them, she didn't want to lose them but she knew she might, but she had to do it.

"Jace," She said addressing him and not looking at anyone else. He raised an eyebrow at her, his eyes confused.

She thought about not saying what she wanted too, but she _needed_ to say it. She was starting a new life and she needed to tie up all loose ends.

Even this one.

"Jace, I just came to tell you that I'm leaving this afternoon. I'm going to find my own place and then take over Morgenstern Corp."

Clary would forever have what she saw next scorched in her mind.

The image was of Jace's smile falling, his face paling and his eyes, the gold in them seemed to shatter, like glass.

Like a heart that had been broken.

* * *

_Ehem...Review?_


	20. Moving on

**Author's note:**

_Hello again and welcome to the second to last chapter (before the epilogue of course) of From Ragged to Golden. This fic has my full attention because it is so close to the end, so I may not update my other two for a little bit._

_So, I miscalculate last chapter. There is only this one to go, the next chapter and an epilogue. _

_Now, originally this fic had twenty nine chapters and an epilogue (but I crunched down or else some chapters would have only contained 500 words)_

_Okay, I know you are all dying to know what happens next, you probably skipped this and I really hope you didn't because these notes sometimes contain important info. _

_So if you have read it, at the top or bottom of your comments write 'Awkward Turtle'. I also love hearing your guys' opinions when I ask questions so let me know;_

_Do you like the cover? _

_Do you think I should edit out the lemon (in case FanFic takes this down because they are apparently taking down sexually explicit fics)? _

_Do you have Tumblr? (Yes I am obsessed and need more people to follow!)_

_Okay? Let's go._

_X_

* * *

"You know," Jonathan said as he taped up the last box. "You sure do have a lot of stuff for someone who came from the streets." Clary stiffened at his words and he backtracked. "I mean, shit, you, I just—"

Clary laughed at this display. "Jonathan it's okay. Jace just—he wanted me to have a lot of things. I feel weird taking them but I'd feel stranger leaving them."

"Why?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"Because I don't want anything of me left here."

Clary knew this sounded silly, but she also knew that if she left anything that could remind Jace—or any of them—that she lived here. That she was here, it would put him over the edge.

She kept seeing his face at court. The look in his eyes when she told him she was leaving. He looked so broken, but she had to do it. Even then, standing there and looking at her as if she was the most precious thing in the world to him and he had lost her, he didn't tell her that he cared for her, he didn't repent what he said in the car and Clary realised that he never would because Jace Wayland, young bachelor and billionaire did not disclose his feelings, especially to someone like her.

A nobody.

She was a somebody now, everyone wanted to talk to her, interview her but she didn't give in. Where were they when she needed them? Instead of doing stories on Celebrity babies and ugly dogs they should have been out in the streets, helping those that needed it the most.

Clary could never forgive them.

She had had many called, from local news stations to big talk shows and even publishers wanted to publish her story and film companies wanted to show her story. She always snorted and hung up. It had been going on for a little over two weeks, ever since she broke her silence in a press conference and before the hearing.

She wondered if she should go on one of these shows and ask them where they were when she was in that horrid orphanage or when she was left out on the streets at sixteen, struggling for food and water, sometimes having to resort to sleeping with someone for money.

Clary then had a brilliant notion which she was about to voice to her brother when his next question stopped her in her tracks.

"Do you love him?"

Clary stared at her brother, trying to fathom why he would ask her this.

"I—" She could have lied to him, she could have told her she felt nothing but mere gratitude for Jace Wayland, but she didn't want to lie to her brother, her only family. "What I feel for Jace...it's complicated."

"How?"

"Because, Jace was the one who found me and brought me here and gave me this life and I will always be thankful to him for that but..." And she told him. She told him about waking up in Wayland Manor, about her first job and then starting work at Jace's company. She told him about everything in her life that had happened when Jace came into it. How she was finally happy, how she wanted to be with Jace and then what he had told her in the car.

"It seems like he likes you Clary." Jonathan said once she was done.

"I think he does but, he said he wasn't ready and I'm not ready to wait for him. I have spent my entire life waiting. Waiting for a family, waiting to be saved, waiting to die alone and cold on the streets. I waited and I'm tired of waiting. I've just started my life and I want to live it, not to stay in the corner and wait for Jace to change. Wait for him to—to stop sleeping around and finally commit to a relationship. I can't wait and if I could, I don't want too."

"Clary, maybe you should reconsider."

"Reconsider what? Jonathan, I _have_ considered, I have thought about waiting for him but, if he really cared about me, who wouldn't make me wait. He'd want to be with me just like I want to be with him. He would—no. I'm not making excuses for him. Jace made his choice. He doesn't want the things I want."

Jonathan looked at her, studying her for a moment. She knew she wore a less than happy expression, but Clary didn't care.

"I've known Jace for a long time. I may not have been his friend in that time, but I know of his reputation. I've heard the rumours, seen the stories. I can honestly say though, in every photo I have seen of the two of you he—I have never seen him that happy."

Clary looked at her brother as she folded the last of her clothes into a suitcase. She knew he was telling the truth, it must have been a sibling thing and the thought made her almost smile, _almost_.

"It doesn't matter. He may be happy with me around but...I won't be happy with _just _being around."

Jonathan nodded and picked up the box he had just sealed. They had hired a moving truck and Clary was, temporarily, moving into Morgenstern Manor. She didn't want too but she had no other choice, unless she wanted to go back to the streets or stay in a hotel. She only agreed to stay at Morgenstern because she could tell it was something Jonathan wanted, he wanted to spend time with her and get to know her. She smiled at the thought.

"I'll take this to the truck and the ones downstairs."

"Thanks."

He left the room and Clary zipped up her suitcase. Clary looked around the room. She remembered waking up here and her first coherent that, making her release a small chuckle.

"This is definitely not hell," She whispered the words now. "It's too well decorated."

That thought still held true today.

She remembered how overwhelmed she was by the items in the house, everything was so expensive looking and she felt as if she would dirty things if she touched them. She remembered her first meal here, served in bed and she remembered Isabelle comforting her after she had thrown the contents of her wardrobe on the ground.

Clary realised then that most of her memories here were good ones.

There were bad ones. The day Jace yelled at her for not firing someone, walking in on Jace and Kaelie doing it, Jace being cold to her after they had had sex and the first time she had seen Jace and Isabelle, when Isabelle had wondered if she was a drug dealer.

She— and they probably—never thought that she would be so special. That she was the heiress to a vast fortune. That she had a father and brother. She never knew it either and she still was waiting, waiting to wake up on the streets and find it was all a dream.

A knock sounded on her door. Clary had been running her hands over the bed and gazing around the room. She turned as the person entered the room and instantly stiffened.

"I'd like to think that hell would be decorated to everyone's least favourite tastes."

"How," Clary began in a shaky voice as Jace approached her, slowly, purposefully. "How long have you been listening?"

"Long enough." Jace came to a stop in front of her. Clary had backed up as much as she could and now the back of her knees were hitting the bed. If she tried to move any further from him, she would fall onto the bed, which was not a good position to be in with Jace.

"Clary," Jace began. He made no moves to touch her but they were so close, Clary's nose nearly touching his chest, the toes of their shoes touching. "I—"

"Don't, okay? Just don't try and change this. If you were listening to all of it, you know it isn't going to change anything."

"Clary," He grabbed both her hands in his. "You can't leave. I—I'm not ready for you to go."

"That's why I have to go."

"Why?"

"Because you said you're not ready for me to go and I'm not ready to wait for you." Her voice was thick with tears. Tears that welled in her eyes as she gazed at the boy whose heart she was breaking and realised that in breaking his heart, she was breaking her own.

"Clary—"

"No Jace, I'm sorry." She pulled her hands away from him and slide past him until she was standing away from the bed. "Jace, what I want you're not ready to give me."

"Clary, I want to give you everything. What do you want?"

"You know what I want!"

Clary was suddenly angry. Angry over Jace and his words from the car, angry that she finally had a fairy tale life but her prince was missing.

"Clary listen—"

"No, you listen! All my life I have waited, waited for something to come and you did! And now, when everything seems impossible, when my life has changed completely, the one thing I want most in the world doesn't want me."

"How can you say I don't want you? Look at what I have done for you! I took you in when no one else would! I gave you clothes, money, a job and a chance! Without me you wouldn't have the things you have now!"

"I will _never _stop being grateful for what you have given me Jace. I could never repay you, but those things, they aren't enough."

He seemed to deflate; it was the first time that Clary thought she had seen him completely vulnerable. Clary wanted to reach out and comfort him, but she had to hold back. She couldn't give in to him, as much as she wanted too.

"How isn't this enough?" He asked his voice uncharacteristically quiet.

"Because," Clary said, her tone filled with finality. "I don't want any of this if I can't have you."

Jace looked up at her and Clary remembered the first time she had seen him. When he picked her up and brought her back here, she thought he was her angel and he was, in a very different sense but angels weren't all good.

"Please Clary," He whispered, walking over to her and pressing his forehead against hers, his hands in hers, their fingers entwined. "Don't leave."

Clary met his gaze, loosing herself in the bright gold irises, and she did the only thing she could do, although she would regret it, she needed to do this. One last time.

Leaning forward, Clary pressed her lips gently to his, a small kiss, but with Jace, it was like lightening. They kissed, their lips moving in synch but neither one opening their mouths to the other, neither one trying to deepen it, because they both knew what this was.

It was a goodbye kiss and they were prolonging it as much as they could.

Clary felt a few stray tears fall down her cheeks and she remembered, right after she had told Jace she intended to leave, she remembered the words that stung her heart.

_She was swallowing away at the lump that had been forming in her throat ever since she left the court room. _

_The image of Jace, his eyes shattering, his smile falling...It was too much for her, she had to leave. She waited outside the court room for Jonathan, hoping he could take her to Jace's to get anything she had left there—though she was fairly certain that everything there, Jace had given her._

"_How could you?" _

_Clary had took a seat on the bench, her head in her hands, but at the sound of that quiet voice she looked up and saw Isabelle Lightwood, glaring down at her._

"_How could you do that to him?"_

"_I didn't do anything to him." Clary said, defeated as she stood, hugging her elbow. She began to walk away when Isabelle walked in front of her, turning to face Clary._

"_Bullshit. You've broken him!" _

"_How?" _

"_How? Clary, that boy is falling for you and you are just going to leave?"_

"_Isabelle, with all due respect, I made my feelings for Jace clear—"_

"_Really? It doesn't look like it! This whole time you have been pining after him and now you've decided because you're rich you're just going to dump him?"_

"_Excuse me? I told him that I was falling in love with him and do you know what he said to me? Or are you just trying to make me the bad guy?"_

"_I don't care what he said to you Clary. You broke his heart. He could call you a wh—"_

"_He told me that we were only friends and that he wasn't ready to 'jump into something yet'. You know what? I am ready to jump, I have already jumped and now I am free falling and I don't want to land in a heap and be wounded, I want to come away strong and the only way for me to do that is to leave Jace." _

"_You can't wait for him? He has never gotten into a relationship before, he needs time to adjust, his life hasn't been easy."_

"_**His **__life hasn't been easy? Are you serious? I have never been in a relationship; I have never loved or liked anyone in my life, but here I am, ready to take the plunge and he isn't and I'm not going to sit around and wait for him to come around, because for all I know, I could be waiting a __**very **__long time." _

"_Well then, I think you should go."_

"_What do you think I'm doing?"_

"_No, I mean it Clary. Leave. Get everything you have ever worn, touched or even looked at from that house and __**never **__come back. Jace shouldn't need to remember you whenever he take a walk in his own house."_

_Clary tighten her jaw, not showing how much the words hurt. She had thought Izzy and she had become friends, but Isabelle seemed intent on making Clary the enemy._

"_Fine. Goodbye Isabelle." Clary brushed past her, deciding to wait for Jonathan outside instead._

"_Goodbye Clary."_

_She didn't know if it was imagined or not, but Clary thought that she heard a crack of emotion in Isabelle's voice. A crack that told Clary that Isabelle didn't want Clary to leave anymore than Jace did._

As the memory washed over Clary and she came back to the present she noticed a few more tears had escaped.

_Damn, this was supposed to be non teary._

She kissed Jace once more and pulled back. The look he wore was one of utter defeat and Clary longed to hold him, like they had after Luke died, hours of cuddling in bed, talking about them. Clary had never been happier than she was in those moments and longed for their simplicity now.

"Goodbye Jace." She moved towards the bed and grabbed the suit case of her. She turned to the door but Jace grabbed the wrist of her free hand and she turned back towards him.

"Please Clary," He said, his tone pleading with her as he pressed his forehead to hers. "Please don't go."

Her heart twisted, she wanted nothing more than to drop her suitcase and leap into his arms, kissing him, ravaging him, but she didn't and she wasn't going to.

"I'm sorry Jace," Clary pulled away from him. "I'm done waiting."

She turned on her heel before he could say anything else. She walked with a quick swiftness and started running once she saw the door, she could hear him behind her but she couldn't turn—she _wouldn't _turn. She saw Jonathan leaning against the car, the truck already gone and when he saw her and heard the commotion behind her he opened the passenger door and ran to the driver's side. Clary slid into the seat, suitcase on her lap and slammed the door. Jonathan drove off as fast as he could as Clary stayed still, eyes forward, fingers clenched around the handle of her suitcase. It wasn't until they were off the property that Clary allowed herself to breathe properly again. She pushed her suitcase into the backseat and buckled her seat belt.

Although she was gone from the manor, she could still feel the burning gaze of its owner as the car left.

_#####_

"I'm sorry Jace," She said, pulling away from him. "I'm done waiting."

She turned and walked out the door, her hand firmly clutched on the handle of her suitcase. It took Jace mere seconds to respond before he shot out after her.

"Clary wait," She was going down the stairs, he was nearly at the top. "Clary stop," She was off the staircase, heading straight for the door. Jace jumped down the steps two—three at a time, racing after her. "Clary!" She ran out the door as Jace reached the bottom of the stairs and broke into a run after her. He was out the door as he saw her door slam and Jonathan start the car.

"Clary!" He called running to the car, it began pulling away from him and he ran after it, his hand reaching out for it. It was too fast and Jace stopped running, his hand falling to his side.

He stood in the spot the car had been parked in moments ago and watched it leave, his breathing heavy and ragged, his eyes wide. He couldn't believe it, he was a fool. He had been so stupid, assuming Clary would always be around, waiting for him to come around. He didn't even know why he had rejected her like that, why he hadn't immediately jumped at the prospect of being with her.

He couldn't admit it to himself but he was scared. He was scared that if he started a relationship with Clary and things didn't work out, he would never see her again and he didn't want that.

A hand on his shoulder shook him from his thoughts. He looked next to him to see Simon there and he knew that behind him and on his other side, the rest of his family stood. Magnus, Alec and Isabelle.

Jace breathed out, he didn't want to admit to them or to himself, but he had to get the words out, because they were true and he needed to accept them. So, with a resigned sigh he said them and had never felt such heartache.

"She's gone."

* * *

_I._

_Love._

_Every._

_Single._

_One._

_Of._

_You._

_And._

_Your._

_Amazing._

_Reviews._

_One._

_More._

_Please?_


	21. Opening Up

**Author's note:**

_Hello again._

_Well, this is the final chapter and then we only have the epilogue. Yay? _

_Okay, so, did that last chapter just hit you right in the feels?_

_I REGRET NOTHING!_

_WOW, so many reviews from the last chapter...Thank you!_

_Shit! Nearly 200 reviews? I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!_

_The reaction to the last chapter was quite an emotional one. Sorry, hopefully this long one makes up for emotions and crying and I make no promises that there will no tears for this chapter, depends on what makes you cry._

_Remember, I LOVE fluff. ;)_

_Hopefully the title of this chapter isn't misleading..._

_Here we go._

_X_

* * *

_**One Month Later...**_

"Jonathan, I need you." Clary let the button of her intercom go as she waited for her brother to appear. His office was right next to hers, he shouldn't take too long.

"You rang?"

"What. Are. These?" Clary asked through gritted teeth, waving the pieces of paper around as if they had personally offended her. Which, they had.

"There claim forms Clary, you have to go over them for the tri monthly." Jonathan said soothingly, which was at odds with his amused grin. She threw a paper ball at his head.

"It's not funny Jonathan. I have no idea what I'm doing. Aren't you supposed to help me?" Clary put her head in her hands, frustrated. "I can't do this."

"Hey," Jonathan came to kneel in front of her and grasped her hands. "You can do this. Mother thought so and obviously father did to or else, you would have never been left at that place. Here," he said taking some papers from her. "I'll help you."

So they laid the papers along the bigger desk in Clary's office—she had switched with Jonathan, she didn't want to work in something her father had practically lived in. Jonathan explained how to organise the files and how to tell which ones to terminate and which to follow through with.

"You know," Clary said, swivelling in her chair. "I thought the point of being the boss of a company was to _pay _people to do this for you."

Jonathan grinned. "Sometimes the boss has to work too and these aren't even half of the claims, you just get the ones from our longest policies—people who have had their policy with this company for over a decade."

"Huh," Clary leant her forehead on the desk and whipped her hand across the table, causing some files to fall on the floor. She groaned.

"I'll go get us some coffee." Jonathan said, standing up and heading to the door, closing it behind him.

"You do that." Clary murmured as she swivelled in her chair to pick up the papers. She head the door click open and shook her head.

"Jonathan, you have been getting me coffee everyday for the last month, you know how I take it, so why are you—"

In the process of berating her brother, Clary had picked up the dropped files and had swivelled back around to face him. Only it wasn't Jonathan that had entered the office. Clary had to blink several times to make sure she wasn't seeing an illusion and as it became apparent that the person before her was real, her emotions became more erratic.

"I don't know whether to be offended that you thought I was your brother or offended that you think I forgot how you take your coffee."

"What are you doing here Jace?"

Clary's voice came out calm, which was the complete opposite of what she was feeling. She hadn't let herself think of Jace—or at least _dwell _on him in a month and now here he was, standing before her in all his golden glory. Clary had forgotten how gorgeous he was, well, she handy forgotten so much as her memory didn't do Jace justice.

"Am I not allowed to visit old friends?"

At the sound of his voice all the memories Clary had kept at bay washed over her. Jace's eyes. His touch. The way he knew exactly what to do to her in bed. The way he knew how to comfort her. All of it, but one was more painful than any other.

_His face at court._

That face had been in her dreams every night since she left. She had replayed that day over and over again, always overanalysing it and always trying to determine if she really made the right choice in leaving. She sometimes wondered what would have happened if she had recanted, took back everything. Would she be in Jace's arms now? Would he have stopped waiting and jumped in? Would she be on the sidelines, falling for someone who wasn't ready?

No, she had made the right decision. He wasn't ready to be with her and she wasn't ready to wait to be with him. It was mutual.

Seeing him, Clary doubted herself. She noticed how dim his eyes looked, normally they shone, they had always been bright to her, a beacon and now they were dull, a flame about to go out. She had done this to him by not being able to wait for him to be ready, but she hadn't been all that great either. They had both hurt each other because they were too stubborn. This realization was something Clary had never thought about before, but with Jace in front of her, she couldn't help but think that maybe, _maybe_, the pain was needless. That one of them should just give in.

She didn't think that was going to happen. She wanted what she wanted and Jace wasn't ready to commit. She knew he wouldn't admit that he had been foolish, he was too proud.

Then what he had said hit her and brought back the most unpleasant memory of all.

_Visit old friends?_

"_I know, but. I don't want any of that if we aren't going somewhere." _

"_What do you mean we aren't going anywhere? We're friends Clary, we are going everywhere." _

"_Friends?" She asked. "Everything that we've...friends?"_

"_Well, maybe a little more than friends." _

"_Like, how much more?"_

"_Like how Kaelie and I are friends."_

Clary still couldn't wrap her head around why he would say that and then act so broken; like he was losing a part of himself, when she told him she was leaving. Anger boiled inside her at the unwelcome image of _that_ day.

"Oh, so you've come for a quickie?"

He blinked at her. "What?" Clary no I—"

"Kaelie not around anymore? You have to come to your other '_Beneficial friend_'."

The words hurt to say, but they needed to be said. Clary needed to get them out, needed Jace to understand why she left, because Clary didn't leave Jace because she didn't want to wait for him. Well, she _didn't _want to wait for him, she was ready and he wasn't, but she could have waited, she would have talked herself into it but that day in the car, Clary realised that Jace was viewing her like he viewed every other woman he had ever been with. Temporary.

Clary didn't want to temporary in Jace's life, but she couldn't have just stopped their relationship, continued to live with him and work for him because if she had seen him with another woman, she would probably have ripped that woman's hair out.

"I just came to see how you were, you never returned my calls, emails, letters, nothing."

"Well you came, you saw." Clary's response was clipped. She didn't want to talk to Jace, she _wanted_ to push him against the wall and kiss him, she _wanted_ to scream at him for being such an ass, she _wanted_ to scream at him for letting her go, but what she wanted and what she should want were different things. She should want Jace to be happy and she did want that and for him to be happy, she couldn't be around him. She knew that. She knew that he didn't want to hurt her and he didn't want her to not be in his life but he knew—so did she—that she couldn't stay in his life, because it would hurt them both.

Jace nodded sharply and it seemed like he was about to go, Clary breathed out in relief and stood, stretching and going back to her notes.

"No," She turned and Jace was standing a few feet away from her. "I'm not going to accept that."

"Accept what?"

"You and you bullshit answers!" His voice rose.

"Ex_cuse_ me?"

"You heard me. You got your chance to talk, well you know what? Now it's my turn. I have missed you, every day since you've been gone—"

"Jace, don't." Clary begged, she didn't want to hear this, but he continued as if she hadn't spoken.

"—I haven't stopped thinking about you and how much I hurt you. I have tried to talk to you, but you don't answer, you don't get my messages and they won't let me see you and I've had enough. Okay Clary? You made your choice and now it's my turn to choose. Don't give me bullshit Clary; I want to know, right now, why won't you talk to me? Is it easy for you to just pretend I don't exist?"

"Is it—is it easy for me? Are you kidding?"

"Well it looks like its pretty fucking easy for you."

"Hey," a new voice joined in and Clary looked to the door as Jace whirled around to glare at the intruder. Jonathan stood there, two steaming cups of coffee in his hands. "I would appreciate it if you did not shout and swear at my sister." Jonathan put the cups down on the desk he and Clary had been working at and looked over at her, asking a silent question with his eyes.

_Are you okay?_

She nodded and this time, as he straightened, his back turned to Jace so he couldn't see what Jonathan was asking his sister, he mouthed a question.

'_Do you want me to leave?'_

Clary hesitated before nodding. She shouldn't let Jonathan leave, but she had to hear Jace out or else she would be consumed with wondering what he was going to say. Jonathan nodded before taking one of the mugs and walking out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Clary and Jace just stared at each other for a moment, a long moment and Clary couldn't take it. She had to ask, she had to know. She walked up to him and smacked his chest. He looked stunned at the sudden assault and gazed, wide eyed, down at Clary.

"What was that f—?"

"Why did you let me leave?"

Jace looked even more stunned, his eyes widening even more as he absorbed what Clary had just asked him.

"If you remember," he finally replied. "I didn't _let _you leave. You were determined."

"Why didn't you stop me?"

"I tried! What did you expect me to do? Grab onto your leg? Hold your ankles until you had to drag me?"

"Yes!"

"This is a strange turn in events considering for the last month you have been avoiding me and accusing me of thinking we are only friends."

"Accusing you—you're the one that told me we were only friends!"

"Oh, I'm sorry; I thought you could read people. Do I need to spell it out for you?"

"Spell what out? That you're a horny son of a bitch?"

"I. Am. Falling. In. Love. With. You. Clary. L—"

"Don't _actually _spell it out."

Jace breathed in and cupped Clary's cheek. She knew she should have pulled away but she was loathe too.

"I'm falling for you Clary. Hopelessly falling and I have been falling with nothing to pull me back for a long time now, but I couldn't tell you."

"Why not?" Her voice was quiet, barely a disturbance in the air.

"Because you don't deserve that. You deserve better than me."

"I don't want better than you because to me, no one is better."

Jace smiled a genuine one of complete happiness.

"But," Clary said, removing his hand from her cheek. "I can't wait for you."

"I'm—"

"I'm sorry Jace, I really am, and I wish we could be together _now_ but we can't. You aren't ready to jump, but I already have." She was about to say more, her final goodbye when suddenly he was kissing her.

_Oh god! How could I have forgotten how good this felt?_

Clary pulled back and looked up at Jace in confusion.

"Clary, I told you I was falling for you, so in order to fall, I would have already jumped."

Clary's heart skipped a beat at his words, her hands and knees trembled and she couldn't think of anything but that _damn _kiss. Damn his irresistible lips!

"I don't know Jace, it seems—I mean, I _know_ about you. I know about all the girls and I don't know if I can believe you."

"Clary, I hardly need to tell girls I am falling in love with them to get them to sleep with me."

Clary looked him up and down.

"Did I tell you I was falling in love with you before we slept together?"

"Oh, you would bring that up." Clary eyed him speculatively and decided to go with it. "I guess not..."

"Have dinner with me."

"What?"

"Have dinner with me. Tonight. Right now. Just a normal dinner, a date, with no strings."

"I don't know..."

"C'mon Clary, what have you got to lose?"

_The emotional barrier I put up when I left you._

"Please?"

_Who am I kidding? Those barriers were never strong enough anyway._

"I'll need to go home and change first, so I need to find a ride or a taxi." Jace jingled keys in front of her face.

"Already covered."

_#####_

Orgasms were amazing things. The way it made you feel was quite amazing and Clary couldn't help but think of that amazing feeling as she looked at Jace. He grinned at her expression. Clary swallowed and let out a satisfied moan.

"If I eat this for the rest of my life, I won't ever need sex again."

They were in a quiet Italian restaurant and Jace had managed to get a two seater table in the back, away from windows and doors in case any paparazzi were around. Clary had become good at dodging them. There was faint piano music playing and their table was surrounded by candles and wonderful smelling flowers. Clary couldn't help but think that the staff was going to be well tipped for this.

When Jace had asked her to dinner, they had gone back to the apartment she was renting and Clary got changed into something simple. She changed into a fitted knit dress that had a black slip under the ivory knitted work and a pair of suede black pumps covered her feet and she put a long, wool black coat over herself. She had brought a bag—a black clutch with a long strap, intending to pay for some of dinner, when Jace saw this he shook his head fiercely.

"_You are not paying anything on that bill."_

"_But Jace—"_

"_Nothing."_

So here she was, eating amazing food with a gorgeous guy and not paying for anything. She felt giddy that she was on a date with Jace but made a mental note to slip a note onto the table when they left.

"Don't say that," Jace said, responding to her previous statement. "I intend to get reacquainted with _every_ inch of your body."

Clary swallowed her food and felt a familiar tingle run through her veins. She looked at Jace from under her lashes and gave him a coy smile.

"We'll see."

Jace grinned back at her and went back to eating. Clary had ordered a chicken pasta dish and it was the most amazing thing she had ever had, well, now with Jace's words in her mind it was a close second to her orgasms with Jace.

_Don't think about that. Keep a level head. You can't give in to him that easily, remember why you walked away._

Clary shook herself. Her inner thoughts were correct, she had to remember why she had left Jace and she was here to give him a chance, to see if he was ready. She focused on that, on an image of her waiting in the sidelines and Jace doing any woman that walked past.

Although, he told her he was falling in love with her. Clary processed this as she ate her meal, trying to calm the excitement running through her whole body at Jace's words.

"_I'm falling for you Clary. Hopelessly falling and I have been falling with nothing to pull me back for a long time now, but I couldn't tell you."_

Clary thought back to the six months she had known Jace. She remembered all the times he had shown her kindness and all the times he had showed her malice. One memory rang clear in her mind and caused an epiphany.

_"I mean, god I sound like an ass, you aren't just something to look at, you aren't the type of girl that would make herself up to only impress men. No. You Clary are to be treasured, not used nor tossed aside and you," He sighed. "You mean a lot to me." _

_"When I say that I don't think you're pretty, I mean it. I don't. I think you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever met."_

Clary tried not to show any reaction on her face over what she had just figured out.

Jace was telling the truth. He was falling for her, he did care about her.

She remembered that day; it was the day she too had realised that her feelings for Jace went far beyond friendship. Everytime he had looked at her, touched her, her heart had skipped a beat and her legs had gone shaky, wiggly, like jelly.

Clary couldn't help but think back to other times where Jace had looked at her like that. All the times he had tried to protect her, when he was playful with her and he even got jealous over Sebastian and Simon. The way he had held her as they snuggled closely in his bed. The way he had comforted her after Luke's passing. The looks his friends, people who had known him his whole life, had given them when Jace would show her affection of any kind.

"_He's a player Clary. Be careful."_

"_I can handle guy Isabelle. I live in the streets; I've had to fight plenty off."_

She remembered those words. Isabelle had said them on the first day that she had woken up in Wayland Manor and then she remembered something else Isabelle had said, before the court case and after Luke's passing when Izzy had kept Clary company during the day.

"_You've changed him." _

"_Who?"_

"_Jace, he's different now. You changed him."_

"_I'm...sorry?"_

"_For what? It's a good change. He cares about you Clary, you may not see it but I do."_

"_How can you?"_

"_Because I know him and I know what to look for. Clary, he has __**never**__ treated another girl the way he treats you. I look at him and he is always looking at you and when you're not there, I still see you." _

"_Isabelle—"_

"_Clary, I know that I told you Jace was a player and believe me, he was, but since you came into his life, besides a couple of times with Kaelie, he has never even looked at another girl."_

Clary decided there and then that it was time to tell him, to ask him, if she was going to give him a fair chance, to convince her, then he deserved the truth.

"Jace," He looked up and her and Clary had to calm herself before continuing. "I realised I started falling for you a long time ago and I hid my feelings, ignored them, but they were always there. I would see you with Kaelie and I would get so angry so..._jealous_.

You have to know that my upbringing, I have never been shown any love or kindness, until I met you. I was hesitant to trust anyone, for obvious reasons, and when these feelings started I didn't know what they were or what to do about them. I had no one to talk too because everyone that I could possibly talk to had known you for years. So, I kept them hidden, kept telling myself it was useless to have a crush on you because you would never think of me in that way and when I would see you, or hear you, with _her_, it was harder to pretend that I wasn't affected.

I tried to move on from them, thinking them as just a crush and eventually the feelings would go away. I went to that party with Sebastian and even then I kept thinking about you. I held you on a pedestal; I was foolish to do so. I couldn't keep things up with Sebastian because I would be living a lie. Lying to him, to you and myself."

Clary took a sip of wine and gauged his reaction. She had his full attention, his eyes were in hers, watching her, his mouth pressed into a hard line and his body stiff. She couldn't tell what he was feeling; he had a poker face on that gave no emotions away. She was about to continue when he spoke.

"What was the lie? Exactly."

"That I could even pretend to care about someone else." He inhaled a sharp breath. Clary continued, putting all her cards on the table. She was all in now. She took his hand across the table and looked into his eyes; the gold seemed lighter than before. "Jace, you can be the biggest jerk there is. You're an asshole, a sarcastic bastard even. You can be cold and malicious, but despite that, I have still fallen. I jumped a long time ago; I jumped off a ledge and waited for you to catch me. You never came, so I left but even then—even now," Jace was watching her carefully. "Even now, I am still hurtling towards the ground, waiting for you. Despite your flaws, despite your past, despite everything I know, the only person that I have ever cared about like this, the only person I have started falling for, is you. It's always been you Jace; I left to deny it, to move on from it. I left because I didn't think you would ever catch me.

But, I have come to realise that that wasn't fair to you. I never tried to find out if you were falling to and you deserve to know how I feel. So, there it is. Despite you being a sarcastic ass, despite you sometimes being angry and cold and distant, I have seen your other side. I would like to think that I only fell for your sweet side, but I fell for all of you. So, I'm all in. I have jumped and I need to be caught, are you waiting on the ground with your arms ready or am I going to hit solid earth and break?"

Clary looked down at her hand, the one not currently holding Jace's, and waited. Waited for him to say something, anything. He remained silent, Clary had no idea how much time had passed and eventually he released her hand and stood up, walking away from the table. Clary did not allow her tears to fall.

_Good job Clary, letting him know what is in your heart and he walks away, You fucked up. What happened to not letting him in because he is just going to hurt you? And now he is gone AND he has left you with the cheque!_

Clary put her other hand on her lap and stared at them. She was debating whether to just sit there or put some money on the table—enough that would most definitely cover the bill—and walk out, go home, sit in bed and cry. She didn't know how she could be so foolish. To believe that what Jace had said was true.

The music in the restaurant changed from soft piano to a song with sweet lyrics and the playing of a guitar.

"_Give me love like her,_

'_Cause lately I've been waking up alone,_

_Paint splattered teardrops on my shirt,_

_Told you, I'd let them go,"_

Clary felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up. Jace was looking down at her, his hand held out for hers. She took it without hesitation, if this was all she was going to get, she would take it. Jace pulled her to her feet and walked out onto a patio area of the restaurant—like a greenhouse—and spun her, bringing their bodies close, they started dancing under the moonlight, surrounded by the sweetest smelling flowers.

"_And that I'll fight my corner,_

_Maybe tonight I'll call ya,_

_After my blood turns to alcohol,_

_No, I just wanna hold ya."_

"Clary, from the moment I saw you I knew you were something special. I became something I had never realised I wanted to become."

"What's that?" Clary whispered her head on Jace's shoulder. He held on of her hands, the other arm he had wrapped around her waist, her free arm she had around his back, across his shoulder blades.

"A man hopelessly devoted to one woman."

"_Give a little time to me or burn this out,_

_We'll play hide and seek to turn this around,_

_All I want is the taste that your lips allow,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love._

"_Hopelessly devoted?_" Clary echoed him, wondering what he meant.

"It means that, from the moment we met, I have belonged entirely to you. I am yours and yours alone and it took you leaving for me to realise that that is all I have ever wanted." They were moving around in a circle. Clary had always imagined a moment like this, so full of romance, she never thought that she would experience it for herself.

"_Give me love like never before,_

'_cause lately I've been craving more,_

_And it's been a while but I still feel the same,_

_Maybe I should let you go,_

_You know I'll fight in my corner,_

_And that tonight I'll call ya,_

_After my blood is drowning in alcohol,_

_No, I just wanna hold ya."_

"How did you manage to find a song that tells me everything you can't say yourself?"

She felt him smile. "I have my ways."

"_Give a little time to me or burn this out,_

_We'll play hide and seek to turn this around,_

_All I want is the taste that your lips allow,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

"_Give a little time to me or burn this out,_

_We'll play hide and seek to turn this around,_

_All I want is the taste that your lips allow,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love._

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love."_

"Clary, I know you don't want to wait for me and I don't want to make you wait."

Clary knew this was coming, he was going to tell her that he still wasn't ready for her and she was going to feel rejected, go home, cry and live her life alone because the only boy she wanted wasn't ready for her. She was foolish to think that she deserved happiness after everything she had gone through, why should she be happy?

Clary clutched Jace tighter though, not ready to let him go. He buried his nose in her hair and spoke, Clary felt her eyes open in shock at his words.

"You don't have to wait for me Clary because I'm ready. I'm waiting on the ground to catch you, the question is, are you sure you're ready to be caught by me?"

Clary pulled back to look into his eyes, she brought her lips to his and they brushed his as she spoke.

"I have been waiting for you to catch me since you found me in that alley."

She pulled back, she didn't want to kiss him, not now, it would ruin the moment. She put her head back on his shoulder and resumed dancing with him and listening to the song that was so like his unspoken words. He kissed her hair and held her once more.

"_Of all the money that e'er I had_

_I've spent it in good company_

_And all the harm that e'er I've done_

_Alas it was to none but me_

_And all I've done for want of wit_

_To memory now I can't recall_

_So fill to me the parting glass_

_Good night and joy be with you all__  
__Of all the comrades that e'er I had_

_They are sorry for my going away_

_And all the sweethearts that e'er I had_

_They would wish me one more day to stay_

_But since it falls unto my lord_

_That I should rise and you should not_

_I'll gently rise and I'll softly call_

_Good night and joy be with you all__  
__A man may drink and not be drunk_

_A man may fight and not be slain_

_A man may court a pretty girl_

_And perhaps be welcomed back again_

_But since it has so ordered been_

_By a time to rise and a time to fall_

_Come fill to me the parting glass_

_Goodnight and joy be with you all_

_Goodnight and joy be with you all."_

Clary sighed, the song had ended but she wasn't ready to let Jace go, not yet and not ever again. Walking away from him was hard, painfully hard, but she had to do it. Jace would probably never forgive her for walking away, but she knew he understood why she had to do it. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have fulfilled Luke's wished, lived up to his last words.

To remember who she was and let the world know.

She was Clarissa Morgenstern, daughter of Jocelyn and Valentine Morgenstern, sister of Jonathan Morgenstern and completely and irrevocably falling for Jace Wayland.

They stood under the moon, neither moving away from the other, dancing and holding each other. Occasionally they would kiss, but they were small and sweet. Tonight wasn't about blind passion, desire and lust. It was about them. About feelings. About love.

Clary smiled against Jace's shoulder and she didn't think she would ever stop smiling.

_#####_

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

Clary looked around the room of reporters and straightened her outfit. A simple business outfit, blazer, shirt, pencil skirt. Isabelle was fussing with her hair _again_.

"A ponytail is so unoriginal!" She groaned eyeing it in distaste.

"Then how about you not wear one and leave Clary's alone?" Jace suggested, putting his arm around Clary's waist and flicking her ponytail. "I like it." He grinned.

Clary was still getting used to this affection he was showing her, especially in front of people. They seemed to accept it, like they knew this was going to happen and it didn't seem different at all for Jace to act like this.

Since their dinner and dance, they had been near inseparable. It had been two weeks and their picture was all over the papers, declaring them a couple, one even said they were like Romeo and Juliet. Clary had snorted at that headline. Just because her father was enemies with Jace and his father did not mean that Clary had to be too.

"Clary," Jonathan came up to her, handing her a piece of paper with words already typed on it. "You're on."

Jace gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and Clary moved up the steps to the stage that awaited her. Instantly there were flashes of cameras, murmured words and news cameras fixed on her. She approached the wooden lectern and placed her paper on top. She looked out at the crowd that had gone silent and then looked back at Jace, he nodded encouragingly.

Clary cleared her throat and proceeded.

"Good morning, ladies, gentlemen, members of the press. As you know you have been called here to learn of a massive change this is happening within Morgenstern Corp. Since taking over, I have been overwhelmed with the kindness of the employees and the way the business is run. My brother has helped me but I have come to realise that I shouldn't need to rely on his—or anyone's help—if I am to run this business. That is why, after much consideration on mine and my brothers' part, we have decided to change Morgenstern Corp," Clary drew in a breath; she knew everyone would start shouting questions at her after she revealed her next move. "We have decided that it is in the best interest of the company if Jonathan Morgenstern takes my place as CEO and I step down and take his as a vice CEO and, we have decided, that for this business to keep running smoothly, it is in everyone's best interest if we merge both Morgenstern and Wayland into one company."

As predicted everyone was yelling questions. Clary gestured for them to calm down and then started answering them calmly, not surprised at all by their contents.

"_Are you merging because of your recent relationship with Jace Wayland?"_

"_Has Mr. Wayland conned you into this?"_

"_Is this because of Mr. Wayland?" _

"This decision would not have been made without Mr. Wayland _obviously_ because he is the CEO but no. It has _nothing _to do with my relationship with him and _everything_ to do with the good of this company." Clary stepped away from the lectern and stood behind a small table that had been placed on the stage. Jace and Jonathan joined her. Jonathan placing the contract on the table, Jace standing beside her, pen in hand.

He signed the spot and handed the pen to Jonathan who signed his spot and then he passed it to Clary. With a deep breath she wrote her signature, signing away her company and merging with Jace's.

The reporters starting yelling again and Jace turned to Clary, a grin on his face, one Clary didn't trust.

"What are you planning?" She asked as she gave him his pen back. He kept that grin plastered on his face as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the middle of the stage.

"Just go with it." He whispered and then turning to the cameras and speaking in a loud clear voice. "Hey guys, how about this for your front page?"

Without knowing what was happening, Clary was suddenly dipped and Jace had his mouth on hers. He was holding her up as he ravaged her lips, Clary wrapped her arms around her neck and got lost in the kiss, the voices of the media drowned at as the kiss deepened.

Jace stood her back up, eventually, and continued grinned. He wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her close to his side, posing for the cameras. Clary put a hand on his chest and looked up at him, he looked down at her and smiled, Clary finding it infectious and smiling back.

She stood on her toes and gave him a light peck. Jace blinked and his smile grew.

"Oh Miss Morgenstern, I do believe that I have fallen for you completely."

"No going back?" She asked in a small voice.

"No going back." He agreed and kissed her once more.

* * *

_Wow._

_That was a long chapter._

_So, how was it? How are the feels?_

_Let me know._

_Only the epilogue to go and then we are done!_

_Review?_

_X _


	22. Epilogue: Ever After

**Author's note:**

_Hello._

_So this is it. This is the end of From Ragged to Golden. _

_I won't say much here because you are probably all eager to read it so I will have a big, special author's note at the bottom of this. _

_Just have to say that the song from last chapter was __**Give me love by Ed Sheeran (seriously his songs are perfect for this fic there is even one in here!)**_

_Thanks for reading._

_X_

* * *

_**Six months later**_

Going to a wedding alone was humiliating. Clary sat on the wooden pew, squirming to get comfortable. She hated churched. She hated uncomfortable seats. She hated having to sit here alone.

She understood why she was here and not with the others.

She saw Jace standing there and glared at him. She blamed him for this and it was his fault. He grinned back at her.

_That son of a bitch grinned at me!_

Clary scowled and faced away from him, letting him know how angry she was. It was all for show though, she wasn't really angry with Jace even after everything she could not stay mad at him.

Clary fiddled with her dress and avoided the gold eyes she knew were watching her. She wore a gold and black fishtail gown with an intricate pattern in black lace, it covered her completely but was tight around her curves—_maybe that's why sitting is so uncomfortable_—on her feet she wore opened toed black heels, though you couldn't see them because of the dresses length, her makeup was minimal and her hair down and in neat waves.

She didn't wear any jewellery—well, one piece. She smiled at the memory as she fiddled with it.

_**Two weeks earlier**_

_Clary threw her bag on the bed and followed after it. _

_It had been a long, agonizing day. Jonathan had been pushing her to get the claims done and she had had to stay back. She was supposed to go out to dinner with Jace tonight at seven but it was already ten and she was exhausted. She didn't even know where he was._

_She felt awful, she hadn't gone out with Jace in weeks. She really wanted this night to be perfect but she couldn't get off work. Clary reached for her bag, pulling out her phone and dialling Jace's number only to get his voicemail, she hung up without leaving a message._

_He was mad at her; he always answered his phone, unless he was mad. Groaning, Clary stood up and decided to take a shower and relax before calling Jace again. She dragged herself to the bathroom and decided that she would try and wait up for Jace, whenever he decided to come back._

_When she walked into the bathroom, she realised she wouldn't have to wait long._

"_I was wondering when you would get here."_

_Jace was lying in the bath tub—big enough for two people—with bubbles around him. There was champagne and two flutes in an ice bucket and rose petals strewn across the floor and in the bath. Candles were lit around the bathroom and soft violin music played from a stereo._

"_What is all this?" _

_Clary took in the sight and the smells and then returned her gaze to Jace. He was leaning back in the tub, completely at ease._

"_I figured that instead of going out you would want to relax after work so," he gestured to the room as a whole. "Come join me."_

_Clary was giddy. This was one of the most romantic things Jace had ever done for her. She slowly peeled off her clothes, Jace watching her every move, and laid in the bath._

_Her back was against his front and he wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands lying on her belly. Clary leaned her head against his shoulder and he placed a quick kiss on her temple. _

_He moved his hands up to her own shoulders and began rubbing them, Clary moaned. It felt so good and really relaxing._

"_You like that?" He asked, his breath blowing on her ear._

"_Mhm," she nodded as he continued needing her stiff shoulders. Too soon he was done._

"_Champagne?" He asked her and if she wasn't mistaken his voice had a tone of nervousness in it._

"_Please." _

_He poured the bubbly liquid into the two flutes as Clary turned so that she was facing him. He handed her a glass and then wrapped his wrist around hers. She smiled and drank from his glass as she drank for hers, but there was something strange about his champagne. Clary put a finger in her mouth before swallowing the liquid. _

"_What the—" She cut herself off as she looked at the thing in her palm. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Jace. He was studying her intently._

_In her palm, Clary held a ring. It had a silver band with diamonds along it and in the centre of the ring was a large, square shaped diamond, bored with smaller ones. Clary couldn't stop staring at it. It was beautiful and then the reason Jace was giving her slammed home and she looked at him in shock._

"_Jace, what—"_

"_Clarissa Adele Fray Morgenstern," He said and Clary blinked away tears. He was using her full name. She had discovered she had had a middle name when she found her birth certificate and the last name Fray was her mother's maiden name so she kept it. _

"_You have made me the happiest man in the world; I can never imagine life without you. Will you make me ever happier?" Clary blinked._

_**Oh God, oh God, oh God.**_

"_Clarissa Adele Fray Morgenstern, will you marry me?"_

_The world stopped as Clary looked across the tub at her boyfriend. She had never thought of Jace as the marrying type, she was just accepting the idea of him being able to commit to a relationship with her now he wanted to commit to a life with her? _

_It was so much, too much to hope for. She couldn't process it but could think of nothing else. _

"_Clary say something," He beseeched her and Clary's attention was drawn back to him._

_Here was this beautiful man, asking her to marry him. She had hoped that one day he might want to marry her, but not so soon._

"_Jace—" He cut her off __**again**__. _

"_I'm not saying I want to get married straight away, we could have a long engagement, but Clary. I don't want anyone else, ever. You're all I want, all I need." _

_Clary smiled, tears forming in her eyes as she handed him back the ring. He looked confused and hurt for a moment before she gave him her hand. He smiled at her and slipped the ring on her finger, kissing it once it was in place._

_Clary moved so that she was on top of him, kissing him all over his face. She was aware that they were naked, in a bath and something hard was poking her thigh, but she didn't care. _

"_Of course I'll marry you, you beautiful, annoying boy!" She kissed him hard on the mouth and sunk into him._

_Before their passion over took them, Jace whispered in her ear._

"_Oh and Clary? Happy one year anniversary."_

_**Present**_

Clary smiled at the memory as she looked at her ring. Of course, they had not been dating for a year but when he proposed it had been one year, to the day, that he had found her in that alley way and so much had changed. That had been one of the happiest days of her life and then she thought of something else and frowned.

_That can't be right. He asked me to marry him...We must have...I can't be..._

Clary looked up at Jace and saw what she was fiddling with and smiled, but Clary didn't return it, she continued frowning. He looked at her in concern and she turned away. It wasn't possible that he hadn't told her, they were getting married and he hadn't said it...

He was still watching her and Clary didn't give in to his heavy gaze.

_He has never told me he loves me..._

_#####_

Half an hour later, Clary was still mulling over her latest revelation in her head, realising that she too had not told him she loved him. She was scared too, what if he didn't say it back?

The sound of music made Clary rise and look to the doors of the church. She was up the front, in the middle of the pew. The mother of the bride was standing next to her and the father was walking the bride up the aisle. Clary craned her neck to get a view of the bridal party.

She had already seen the bride's dress and the bridesmaids' dresses. Isabelle had wanted Clary to be part of the bridal party but she had refused, she didn't want to intrude, but would gladly come as a guest and help her with the wedding stuff. Isabelle was now returning the favour for her and Jace.

Max, Isabelle's little brother, walked up the aisle with the rings on a small white pillow with blue lace around the seams. Isabelle's bridal party consisted of Aline, Maia and Isabelle's cousin Maria, who was the maid of honour.

The bridesmaid dresses were a deep purple, halter neck dress, the hem reaching their ankles and their shoes were purple and silver.

Then came Isabelle and Clary gasped at how beautiful she looked.

Isabelle's dress was something she had made herself; it had a tight bodice and a flowing skirt. It was held up by one strap, on her left shoulder, which was made up of material flowers. The waist had a band around it and two flowers sewn down her right hip. The skirt of the dress was made up if ruffled material, layered in waves and a small train. The shoes Isabelle wore were white open toed ankle strapped with two flowers attached to the shoes from the tow to the ankle. Her hair was down and in long waves, a diamond square clip pinning it back and off her face and atop her head she wore a small diamante tiara. Her makeup was subtle and she had decided against a vale. Her bouquet was a mixture of red and white roses. Clary couldn't help but think that she did indeed look like a princess.

She looked up at the front as Isabelle and her father nearly reached the rest of the party. Simon was a grinning fool, his smiled reaching ear to ear. Jace was his best man and Alec and Magnus his two groomsmen. They all wore slick black and white suits with a white rose on the lapel of their coats and black bow ties at their throats. Max was standing off to the side, pillow in hand and Clary remembered helping Simon pick out the ring he would give to Isabelle.

Isabelle had told her that it had to go with her engagement ring, which seemed impossible since the engagement ring was made specifically for her in the shape of a lotus flower, each petal a diamond and a bigger square diamond in the middle.

Clary tried though and eventually she and Simon settled on a ring that had a circular pattern around the band and the middle was a circular cut diamond boarded with a square of diamonds. Clary couldn't help but think that perhaps Simon had told Jace which ring to get her; she remembered gaping at the ring that was now on her finger.

Isabelle had reached Simon and they held hands, grinning at each other. There was no doubt, in that moment that these two were in love, deeply in love. Clary ignored the drop of her stomach.

_Maybe he is just waiting for the right time._

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony..."

Everyone sat and listened as the priest recited the usual wedding gibberish. Clary had already stated she did not want a church wedding; she had a rocky relationship with God.

Isabelle and Simon had written their own vows. Clary had also helped Simon with this. It was strange, Simon was the person she was closet within the group, not Isabelle, not Magnus but Simon. They related on a strange level. They liked all the same time and they both knew what it was like to lose someone they loved.

"Isabelle," Simon began, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "I have to say that you look beautiful, but you always do and I will never know what you see in me. You could have any man in the world, bowing you your every whim but you choose me. I am glad, though, I have been in love with you my entire life. I remember when I first saw you, your hair was shirt and you wore a bright orange dress with daises printed all over it. It was our first day of kindergarten and I turned to my mother and I said 'Mommy, that beautiful girl, I am going to marry her.' I never knew that my five year old self was a clairvoyant but today proves I knew something good was going to come from knowing you. I love you more today than I did then, than I did yesterday and I love you less today than I will tomorrow. Isabelle, you have always been the one for me and I will never stop loving you, not even when my heart stops beating."

Isabelle had tears swimming in her eyes as Simon reached behind him and took the ring from Max.

"Do you," The priest began as Simon held Isabelle's left hand and had the ring ready to place on her finger. "Isabelle Lightwood, take Simon Lewis to be your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, to love and cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, til death do you part?"

"I do." Isabelle said her smile growing as Simon slid the ring down her finger. Then she recited her own vows.

"Simon," She cleared her throat and blinked away tears and Simon grinned. "We met when we were five and have since grown from friends to best friends to a couple and now are growing into husband and wife. I couldn't imagine life without you and I never want to experience it. I remember when I realised that I was in love with you. We were sixteen and there was a thunder storm. You, Jace, Alec and Magnus were in the living room and I was alone in my room, I ran down the stairs and you comforted me, walked me back to my room and helped me fall asleep by telling me the plot of Star Wars and I remember that being the best night of my life, because you were there and you were helping me. I have loved you every day since then and will love you every day for the rest of our forever."

"Do you," the priest spoke when Isabelle finished. "Simon Lewis, take Isabelle Lightwood to be your lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, to love and cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, til death do you part?"

"I do," Simon said and Isabelle slipped the golden band on his finger.

"I now pronounce you man and wife," a glass was put near Simon's foot. They had decided to get married the traditional way and respect Isabelle's parents but would also have a small Jewish ceremony to respect Simon's parents. Simon stepped on the glass and then the priest said he could kiss his bride and he did.

Clary had to look away from the kiss, it seemed rude to look. Then the fanfare started and the wedding party left, Clary trying not to glare at Maria who was clinging to Jace. Jace saw this and smirked at Clary.

She headed out of the church and saw them taking photo's. She would wait to congratulate them, well she would have but Isabelle spotted her.

"Clary, come over here. I need a picture with you."

Clary reluctantly walked over and Isabelle and the black haired girl threw her arms around Clary in a massive hug. Clary returned it as the photographer took their picture; they turned to the camera and smiled.

"Jace!" Isabelle called, waving him over as she grabbed Simon. "Come on, a picture of the couple and the best man and his best girl." She winked at Clary who rolled her eyes. Jace sauntered over and stood to mimic the way Simon held Isabelle.

He held Clary around the waist with one arm as she faced Isabelle and he faced Simon, their heads turned to the camera smiling. When they were done the photographer walked off, following Isabelle as she led Simon over to their parents. Clary was about to walk when Jace tightened his hold on her waist.

"Where do you think you're going?" He whispered in her ear, turning Clary in his arms and looking down at her. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" He asked, tipping her chin with his fingers so that she had to look in his eyes.

"Nothing." She said carefully.

"Oh I see." He said with a small smile.

"You do?" She said, getting giddy. Was he going to tell her now?

"You don't think we will have as good a wedding because ours is outside." He grinned and poked her nose. "Don't you worry Miss Morgenstern, our wedding will be much better. Prettier to, I mean, look at me compared to this groom and you, well, you are always beautiful. Even when you wear my shirts and just your panties, which I find very sexy, perhaps you should wear that instead of a wedding dress."

Clary tried to smile, but she knew he would be able to sense that it was forced.

"Yeah, that's...That's what I was thinking. How can you read me so well?"

"Obviously I can't because you just lied to me, Clary," He sighed and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Have I done something wrong?" Clary sighed, deciding it was probably best to tell him.

"No. It's something that you haven't done." He furrowed his brows and Clary decided to just tell him. "Jace, don't you think it's strange that you've proposed to me and you and I haven't even said 'I love you' yet?" He blinked at her, as if only just realising they had never exchanged these three words.

"What? No...That's not—we must have—" He stopped talking and widened his eyes, realising the truth. "Wow, we really haven't..." He trailed off, releasing her and walked away.

_Did he just realise he had never told his fiancé he loved her and then walk away?_

Clary stared at him; her mouth opened in shock as he walked up to Simon and patted him on the back. Simon looked up at her, obviously they were talking about Jace and her's upcoming nuptials and cocked his head to the side as he saw her expression. Jace looked at her and gave her a small wave.

_Did that son of a bitch just walk away from the 'I love you' and fucking wave at me?_

Clary made it look like she was going to wave back but at the last minute she flipped him off and glared. Simon widened his eyes and Jace's face fell. Clary huffed and walked towards the car park, planning on driving to the reception now, rather than have to wait for everyone else. She scanned the place for her brother and saw him talking to Alec, who annoyingly was standing right near Jace.

_Damn_.

Clary walked up to them, trying to get Jonathan's attention but he was thoroughly ignoring her. When she reached them, she ignored Jace who was now next to Alec, speaking to Magnus and hugged Simon instead.

"Congratulations." She smiled at him.

"Uh, thanks Clary." He smiled back but he looked uneasy. Obviously remembering her flipping Jace off.

"Simon you idiot, look at your bow tie." She straightened it for him while shaking her head. "I _really _hope it hasn't been like this for the pictures or else Isabelle is going to kill you." Simon gave her a relaxed grin.

"If that happens, I'll just come live with you and Jace and hide behind you. She won't hurt you to get to me." Clary raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm going to have to move to Mexico aren't I?"

"Not far enough." Clary teased and his face showed mock horror.

"Don't worry my friend," Jace said, clasping him on the shoulder. "You are always welcome to stay with us." He said, walking to Clary and taking her hand. She pulled it back quickly. Jace scowled.

"Jonathan," Clary said turning to her brother. "Shall we go? Get out before everyone else starts to leave?"

He nodded at her, a questioning look in his eyes. He obviously saw the exchange between her and Jace.

Clary kissed Simon on the cheek and waved at Magnus and Alec, pointedly ignoring Jace.

"See you guys at the reception." She said walking away with her brother towards her car. She still couldn't believe she could drive _and_ own a Jaguar.

"What was that about sis?" Jonathan inquired as he slid into the passenger seat. Clary shut her door and clicked her seatbelt into place.

"Jace being an asshat." She said, putting the key in the ignition and starting the car, easing out of the parking lot.

"What else is new?" Jonathan said. "What'd he do this time?"

"He didn't tell me he loves me."

"...Is that it?"

"If you would let me finish. He _hasn't _told me he loves me," She paused waiting for him to interrupt, he didn't. "Ever."

Jonathan whistled and Clary looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"You're marrying someone that has never said that to you? What'd he do when you said it to him?"

"I haven't said it to him either."

"Oh Clary, love is not a one way street. You need to tell him how you feel too."

"I know but—"

"Clary, he wouldn't have asked you to marry him if he wasn't sure he would spend his life with you." He patted her knee. "Tell him first little sis."

_Damn him for being right!_

Clary nodded and drove in silence to the reception.

_#####_

"Ladies and Gentlemen put your hands together for Mr and Mrs Lewis!" The DJ called and everyone applauded as Simon and Isabelle made their entrance. They were smiling broadly and high-fived people as they came out and walked up to their table, taking a seat.

Clary had also told Isabelle no to sitting at the bridal party table and instead sat with the parents and Jonathan. Their food was served, but Clary hardly noticed what she was eating, she was too nervous about what she was going to say to Jace.

He was sitting up there, Maria hanging off of him. Clary really wanted to hit her, but instead sat there fuming.

Jace did this a lot to her, he liked it when she was jealous, he wouldn't thwart the attentions of any girl if Clary was around because he said she looked so cute when she wanted to kill someone, as weird as that sounds.

Clary looked around the room, people were dancing, some still eating other just mingling when she saw someone very familiar and smiled to herself.

_Well Jace, two can play at your game._

She got up and tapped him on the shoulder, he looked up at her in surprise and then a lazy smile appeared on his lips.

"Clary?" He asked and she held out her hand.

"Come dance with me." He looked warily over her shoulder, no doubt at Jace, but Clary pulled him to the floor.

The song was a dance one and she and Sebastian danced to the beat, he would occasionally twirl her. She saw Jace watching them on the edge of the dance floor, no Maria in sight and smirked at him. He glared back and walked up to her, snatching her wrist and pulling her to him.

"Sorry to cut in," He said to Sebastian not sound sorry at all as he pulled Clary away. They were off the dance floor when she pulled her wrist away.

"Jace, what the hell?" She asked, keeping some distance between him.

"What the hell? Oh, I don't know Clary, how about I just watched some guy drool all over _my _fiancé as he held her."

"We were just dancing."

"And the stork really does bring the babies." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Why are you so jealous?"

"Because that guy you were '_just dancing'_ with, used to have feelings for you. Remember? You brought him to the company party and he kissed you, right in front of me."

Clary sighed and massaged her temples.

"Well, at least he told me how he felt."

"You think—Clary, I have told you how I feel about you every _fucking _day."

"Oh really?" She asked with sarcasm dripping from her tone.

"Yes!" He seemed exasperated and ran his hands through his hair. "Clary, I'm crazy about you. I've never—I've never wanted to be with just one person for the rest of my life and I want to be with just _you_ for the rest of my life. Clary I—"

"I love you." She whispered, cutting Jace off. He stared at her for a moment before pulling her to him and kissing her, hard and sweet, on the mouth.

"Thank God, I thought you hadn't said it because you didn't love me."

"Ditto. Ehem." She fake coughed and waited an expectant look on her face. Jace smirked.

"Clary baby, I love you too." She smiled and brought his lips down to hers, before they touched her spoke again. "I hope to never see you in another man's arms again."

"But Jace," She said mocking him. "You look so cute when you're jealous."

"Right you are." He said kissing her as the music change to a soft melody.

"Clarissa, might I have this dance?" She nodded and let him take her to the dance floor. She leaned her head against his shoulder, her hands around his neck as he rested his on her waist. She listened to the words of the song and shook her head.

"How does the perfect song _always_ come on when we have just had a moment?" She asked.

Jace grinned at her as they danced.

_Settle down with me__  
__Cover me up__  
__Cuddle me in_

_Lie down with me__  
__And hold me in your arms_

_And your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed in my neck__  
__I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet__  
__And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now_

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved__  
__You wanna be loved__  
__You wanna be loved__  
__This feels like falling in love__  
__Falling in love__  
__We're falling in love_

_Settle down with me__  
__And I'll be your safety__  
__You'll be my lady_

_I was made to keep your body warm__  
__But I'm cold as the wind blows so hold me in your arms_

_Oh no__  
__My heart's against your chest, your lips pressed in my neck__  
__I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet__  
__And with this feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now_

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved__  
__You wanna be loved__  
__You wanna be loved__  
__This feels like falling in love__  
__Falling in love__  
__We're falling in love_

_Yeah I've been feeling everything__  
__From hate to love__  
__From love to lust__  
__From lust to truth__  
__I guess that's how I know you__  
__So I hold you close to help you give it up_

_So kiss me like you wanna be loved__  
__You wanna be loved__  
__You wanna be loved__  
__This feels like falling in love__  
__Falling in love__  
__We're falling in love_

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved__  
__You wanna be loved__  
__You wanna be loved__  
__This feels like falling in love__  
__Falling in love__  
__We're falling in love  
_

Clary looked around at the other dancers, seeing Isabelle and Simon, Aline and Maia and Alec and Magnus. Jonathan was dancing with another girl Clary had never met and Maria seemed to get the hint that Jace was off limits and was now making out while dancing with Sebastian.

"Clary," Jace whispered, holding her close to him. "Do you mind if this song is our first dance?"

Clary blinked up at him and smiled.

"How about we have an extra long first dance and have this one and the one from our first date?" Jace grinned.

"Or have two first dances."

"I don't think it works like that."

"Well it's going too," He kissed Clary lightly on the lips. "What you do to me...I am hopelessly in love with you Clarissa Morgenstern."

"Jace, from the moment we met I don't think there was ever a doubt that I would fall in love with you. That night you found me, I thought you were an angel, a golden angel come to take me away, but it turns out that you are just a man but to me, you're an angel. My angel. I love you and I don't think I have ever _not_ loved you."

Jace kissed her again, softly, their lips not opening. It was a sweet kiss, a lover's kiss. A forever kiss.

"Clary, I don't want to wait. You said yourself you have waited long enough. Let's get married, as soon as we can." Clary smiled.

"I've been waiting to hear you say that ever since you proposed."

He pulled her head back to her shoulder and they continued dancing, a new song was playing but the final words from the last song kept echoing in Clary's mind.

_We're falling in love_

**~The End~**

* * *

_Well, wasn't this just an emotional roller coaster?_

_Before the weeping start's a few things._

_The song you see here is __**Kiss me by Ed Sheeran**_

_Seriously, his songs are perfect for this._

_Second, you can see all of the outfits shown here on my Polyvore _ .com

_Third you can find me on tumblr .com _

_Okay..._

_I want to thank every single one of my readers, whether you have reviewed or not, thank you, your continued support has meant so much, I honestly thought I would never finish this. _

_So thank you. Your favourites and/or reviews meant so much._

_I don't want to say much here except thank you, the only thing I can say and I'm sorry for making you cry (multiple times)_

_BEFORE anyone asks I am already considering making a one shot that involves Clary and Jace's wedding, we will just have to wait and see._

_So, check out my Tumblr and Polyvore, I have another TMI story and thank you, again. _

_One last review?_

_X _


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